another demon host
by Brightshadow-chi
Summary: there is demon attacking Konoha, and Namikaze Minato is forced to seal the demon, Itachi is his best option but how Itachi's family will react to this? and will Kakashi be able to help Itachi in his confined solitude life? pairing Itaxkaka
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Naruto.

"WATCH OUT…"

"Get out of the way…"

"Move that injured Anbu…."

"What should we do Hokage-sama?" asked 13 years old Kakashi Hatake.

"I'm gonna seal the beast." Answered the 4th Hokage, Namikaze Minato.

"How are you going to go about it? Are you going to make a jinchuriki?" asked the 3th.

"No, its power is too immense to be handle by just one person, the body will wither under that great power."

"So what are you going to do Hokage-sama?" asked a cat masked anbu.

"I'm gonna make a triangle seal with a center focus power, I seal the majority of the beast's power inside the center of triangle and the three remaining angles would be the supporting holder of the beast's power." Said Yondaime while concentrating hard on a long, bloody scroll.

"But it still will be junchuriki." Said Haishi Hyuuga.

"No it won't. The body of the beast will be sealed in a sacred ground. I just seal his power and life force inside that center."

"What do you mean life force?" asked the head of Uchiha clan, Uchiha fugaku.

"Well, we still don't know of a way to kill the beast and we can't seal it completely, the only thing I can do is halting it until we can find the solution, until then it's life force will be put into the center, the only thing that remain is that if the center dies, the life will go back to the beast. It doesn't mean that it'll be free because we still have the triangle, but if just one of the angles wavers it will be released again."

"What if one of the angles dies before the center?"

"As long as the center is alive, I can just replace the angles with another angle with his or her help."

"Wait a minute, what do you mean his or her, the center is going to be a human?" asked Fugaku.

"Yes. Not only the center, but all the angles will be also human, or to be more accurate children. But the center, which is the most important one, should be a child between 2 and 3 years old."

"What? Why?"

"Because the beast's power should become synchronize with the center. A child under 2 is surely to die from this much power and a child older than 3 has already pass the stage of synchronizing."

"So who is this child going to be?" asked the Hyuuga.

The 4th Hokage was silent.

"How many children in this age are even still alive in the village?" Raido asked.

Yondaime still didn't answer.

"Say something Yondaime, we are running out of time." Fugaku said urgently.

Minoto look at Fugaku and said "The best choice with the highest chance of survival is your son, Uchila Itachi."

"What? No way. He is the heir of the clan, everyone knows that he is a prodigy. I'm against it." Fugaku fumed.

"That's exactly the reason for this decision." Minoto answered calmly.

"I don't care about the decision, find another child to make into a beast." Fugaku said angrily.

The 4th suddenly lost his temper."We have no other choice. The remaining children are all weak, they don't have the potential. It's either a seal on your son or the destruction of the whole fire country."

Fugaku was quiet, the 4th knew how he felt but there really was no other option. His son was just a few months old, if he could, he would surely try it on his son first.

"I want it to remain a secret, and I want to have my full authority over the boy, I treat him the way I see fit and you will stay out of it." Fugaku send a pointed look to the 4th.

"It's a deal." Yondaime promised.

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-11 years later. 1:00 a.m._

A 13 years old Uchiha Itachi was sitting on the edge of his bed, fully clothed, his hair which reach to the middle of his shoulder, tied in a tidy pony tail.

He looked absolutely calm and collected, but if you knew the boy, you would know by the darkening of the two lines under his eyes, that he wasn't as calm as he appeared to be.

There was a pop and the 24 years old Kakashi Hatake was standing in the middle of Itachi's room with his trademark orange, Icha Icha book in his face.

"Yo."

Itachi slowly stand up, he was way too short for his age. "You are late, Hatake-san."

"For dango's sake Itachi, Hatake-san was my father, just call me Kakashi, or Kakash for short." Kakashi said with a fake irritation.

"Your name is Hatake-san and that's what I'll always call you. Now, Hatake-san, you are late, again." Itachi calmly said.

A look of surprise came over Kakashi's only visible eye, he said "But I was supposed to be here at 12. Wasn't I?"

There was the slightest twitch on Itachi's left eyebrow. "You were _supposed_ to be here at 11, and it is 1:15 now, Hatake-san."

"Oh, I must have lost the track of time, cause you know," he pointed at his book, "It was just getting to the most exciting part of the story, when the young lady expose her milky thigh…"

"_Hatake-san_, if you recall, I'm underage, so please refrain from mentioning anything, which in any form or shape resemble that book, in front of me."

"My, you're moodier that usual, what's the matter? Something happened?"

Itachi raised his voice slightly and not really noticeably, "No, nothing important, just that I have only about 5 hours in every three week to actually meet someone other than my vain family, and you just waste 2 hours of it for that… that unmentionable book."

Kakashi who knew Itachi too well, clearly heard the raised voice and saw the darkened line under his eyes. He smiled a little and said "Well sorry about that …"

"You don't look sorry."

"As I was saying, I am sorry, but these are the real reason for my lateness." He flipped some paper in front of Itachi.

Itachi just 'hmm'ed and didn't respond. Kakashi cleared his throat and continued, "Well I take that 'hmm' as 'what are these?' the answer is they are the cards which shows the nature of your chakra."

"I would prefer it if you could provide me with a mean of leaving this house on regular basis, than bring me some cards."

Kakashi's face fell a little but he hurriedly collect himself and said, "Even these few hours of meeting is forbidden, what would Fugaku-san said if I were to take you away."

There was a sparkle in the boy's eyes, "If I leave this place, will you take me away?"

Kakashi's visible eye widened, well, leaving this place was one thing, but taking away was completely out of question. _If only I could tell him everything, _Kakashi thought sadly.

"Hmm, well, the thing is… there is this situation…."

"I understand," the sparkle wasn't there anymore. "So, why should you bring me those cards?"

Happy from the change of topic, Kakashi sighed, "Well, if you know the nature of your chakra, you can learn variety of techniques and become stronger."

"Why would I want to become stronger?"

"So you can protect yourself."

"Protect myself from what? I'm confined to this house compound."

"Well," Kakashi cleared his throat, "there may come a time when you leave this place and need to protect yourself."

Itachi turned his face away and said nothing.

Kakashi looked at his back and tried to cheer him with his last card of that night.

"There is also something else that I should tell you."

There was no response.

"Someone is going to come and see you tonight."

Itachi's shoulder tensed.

Kakashi didn't say anything else and the silence fell on the room. Finally after about 10 minute Itachi sharply turned, and to his immense annoying saw that Kakshi have his face buried in that stupid book again.

"Well?" Itachi said.

"Huh?" Kakashi raised his face and idiotically looked at Itachi. "Did you say something?"

"What about a someone who is going to come?"

Kakashi scratch his chin for a minute then perk up and said, "Ah, you're talking about before, yeah, you didn't answer so I thought maybe you're not interested."

There was that silence again.

"Hatake-san, will you continue your speech, or you prefer that I leave you alone with your fantasy?"

"It is Kakashi, and I take the first option, well, as I was _speeching,_ someone is going to meet you tonight. We were going to meet about…" Kakashi looked at the clock "1 hour ago."

"WHAT?" to Kakashi's astonishment, Itachi actually lost his temper and shouted. "There was a person who was going to meet me after all this time, and you just made him wait one hour. Where is he… or she, right now?"

"He should be in the back yard. Of course, IF he is still waiting for me to show up." Kakashi chuckled as Itachi move to the window and jumped out.

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When Itachi reached the back yard, he could make out the shadow of a person standing in the middle of the clearing. He was tall, his hair was the color of gold, and his long robe was dancing around him in the midnight breeze.

Itachi never had seen him before but from what he heard in his family's talk and some of Kakashi's descriptions he could guess.

"Hokage-sama."

Yodaime turned and smiled upon seeing Itachi.

"Hello there, you must be the Uchiha's prodigy. It's a pleasure to see you again after all these years. I'm Namikaze Minato." Minato's eyes were dancing in the moonlight while staring intently at Itachi and Itachi felt himself blush for the first time in his life.

"The pleasure is all mine. I should apologize for making you wait here." And Itachi bowed.

Yodaime waved his hand dismissingly and laughed "When I made an appointment with Kakashi, I already know that I will be root to the spot waiting for him so it's not a big deal." Hokage made a face and added, "And you're not the one who should be apologizing."

At this moment Kakashi emerged from the shadows and stepped into the clearing, his face in the book.

"Well what is your plan Kakashi? You must have something in mind to invite me here, and make yourself the newest target of Fukagu's hatred." Yodaime said.

'_target of my father's hatred. Kakashi asked him to come knowing he would be despised?' _Itachi thought.

"Well seeing that today is Itachi-kun's birthday, and you, sensei, owe me for the last drinking contest, I thought you could pay me back by having a little sparring session with him." Kakashi said without raising his head from the book.

"My…you remembered…wait… what….sparring session with Hokage-sama? I would never ask Hokage-sama to disgrace himself by fighting with a mere Uchiha…." Itachi was saying when Minato laughed and interrupt his rant.

"Just as I expected. You invite me here to show me that you become a real sensei, huh, Kakashi?" Minato turned to Itachi and continued, "It is not a disgrace at all, you are the Uchiha prodigy after all. And I really like to see how much my white haired pupil taught you in all these years."

Itachi just bowed again, too speechless to say anything. When he straighten again he saw that Hokage was beckoning him to come and stand in front of him. Itachi take a quick glance toward Kakashi, and frowned a little when he saw that his face was so deep in the book that even his only visible eye was out of sight.

He reached his destination and stood in a fighting pose. Hokage smiled and stand in fight pose too, his eyes sparkling.

There was complete silence in the clearing and neither of them seem to be going for the first attack, when the wind suddenly blow and rustle the leaves of the nearby trees, Hokage take this time to attack, he was fast and was right in Itachi's face in a blink an eye, he smirked a little and send a punch to Itachi's head, Itachi take the full force of the punch and went flying into the air.

But Minato didn't seem upset and instead of looking into the air he was concentrating on the shadows around him, and he was right in time to turn around and deflect three flying shuriken. And before the shurikens even hit the ground he was on the move again and this time he knew it is the real Itachi he was facing.

But Itachi was quick and before Hokage reached him he made a hand seal and shout "fire element: grand fireball jutsu." He put his two fingers near his mouth and breathed out. There was a huge fire ball in the clearing and the whole yard and every hidden corner brightened by the fire.

Itachi knew that Hokage won't go down this easy so he activate his sharingan and tried to find him before he find him.

But before he could even check the surrounding Minato was in front of him again and they engaged in a fierce hand to hand combat, while for a moment it seemed that they are equal, Itachi wasn't fast enough for Minato and the only thing he could do before the Hokage's fist connect with his chest, was to explode his bunshin daibakuha.

Itachi went flying into one of the trees and fell to the ground with a soft thud.

Minato dusted his more than a little burnt robe and looked at Itachi amused, it was a fact that he was the fastest ninja in the whole Konoha, so how and when exactly Itachi managed to make a explosive shadow clone?

Hokage came over to where Itachi laid and extend his hand, Itachi looked at the hand, and for a second Minato thought that he is going to refuse his hand, but then Itachi took his hand and stood up, a little unsteady on his feet and slightly whizzing, Minato noticed that his other hand which was clutching his chest a while back now was held firmly to his side. No sign of discomfort shown on his face.

Minato admired the boy's endurance and composure. "It was the best fight I ever had with a 13 years old." He said.

Itachi's face light up for a moment, but he hurriedly collect himself and bowed politely, "it was the best fight I ever had in my life, Hokage-sama." The slight wince the posture caused the boy didn't go unnoticed by the Hokage and he couldn't help himself but ruffle the boy's now untidy hair. The thing he always did with his little Naruto's golden hair after a good training session.

Itachi suddenly jumped back at the foreign touch, a look of surprise was plastered on his face.

But Minato merely put his hand in the pocket of his robe and smiled, waiting for the boy to collect himself.

When Itachi come out of his shocked and found out how his action was rude to Hokage, he bowed for God know how many times that night again and was about to apologize when Hokage suddenly hushed him and listened to some sound that Itachi couldn't hear at first, but then the sounds became clearer, the sounds of hurried footsteps, which were coming closer to their location.

"I think it's better if you go back to your room my boy, we wouldn't want to face your father's anger now, would we?" Hokage smiled brightly at Itachi and push him toward the house.

"I will never forget this night and your generosity to give me some of your time and even waiting for me. Thank you Namikaze-sama." Itachi didn't waste any more time and disappeared into the shadows of the big compound.

There was a pop and Kakashi appeared beside the Hokage. "What do you think of my trainee Minato-sensei?"

"He is indeed a prodigy." Minato said, then he sent a lopsided grin toward Kakashi and added, "But he was gravely distracted. I have a feeling that this fight could have gone much longer, if your young trainee wasn't constantly glancing your way to see if you're looking or not."

Kakashi sighed. "Yeah. And I put so much effort to seem like I'm lost in my book. Next time I will be hiding somewhere. How about that Minato-sensei?"

"It'll be good, IF there is another time." Minato said looking to the slowly increasing sounds direction.

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Itachi was trying to be fast and silent, but it was a difficult task because he couldn't stop from thinking about the fight, and couldn't stop smiling when he thought about Kakashi's next meeting, and he was stumbling slightly, still a little daze from Hokage's punch.

And those were exactly the reasons why he couldn't catch himself when his father bumped into him.

'_Damn, Fukagu is gonna be furious…' _, was Itachi's last thought before he fell the flight of stairs.

TBC…

There is something I need to mention here:

1. This is my first story. (This is not a good excuse if you don't like the story or if the story isn't really worth reading, but I don't have any other excuse.)

2. I know the age difference between Naruto and Itachi is more than two, but I like it better this way.

3. Next chapii will be out soon.

Review of next chapter: "what the hell are you doing here?" Fugaku shouted. Kakashi held the limp body of Itachi closer and didn't say anything.

Chii out.


	2. Chapter 2

'_Damn, Fukagu is gonna be furious…'_ was Itachi's last thought before he fell the flight of stairs.

Minato's head turned at hearing the sound of the loud thud which came from the direction where Itachi was going to. He was just about to sprint towards it when Kakashi caught his arm.

"It's better if no one from the Uchihas see you here, Hokage-sama. I'll check it out." Kakashi let go of his arm.

Minato hesitated for a second then nod and disappeared without a pop or anything.

'_His freaky shunshin no jutsu (body flicker jutsu)' _Kakashi thought and sprinted toward the house.

The sight which Kakashi came upon wasn't very appealing. Itachi was sprawled on the lower steps of the main hall, his head was on the ground and there was a thin line of blood on his face, while his legs were on the steps, his right leg in an unnatural angle.

Fugaku was standing on top of the stairs, from his expression, it seemed he wasn't sure whether to be concern or angry. But upon seeing Kakashi at the entrance, he decided on the latter.

"What are you doing here Hatake Kakashi?" Fugaku said, obviously annoyed by Kakashi's presence.

Kakashi just ignored him, ran to Itachi's side and checked for his pulse. When he was sure that it was there he carefully cradled his head and lightly brought it up to stop the flow of blood to his head.

"I said, what the hell are you doing here?" Fugaku shouted. Kakashi held the limp body of Itachi closer and didn't answer.

Fugaku clenched his fist and stomped down a few steps. Just then Kakashi raised his head and said "We should take him to the hospital."

"You didn't answer my question?"

"I can answer you any time but now we should go to the hospital." Kakashi was trying his best to stay calm and he was about to get up with Itachi in his arms when Fugaku's dangerously law voice stopped him.

"You put the demon down now. It's already decided, I AM the one who make decisions concerning him."

"He is not a demon. And if I were you now, I would be more concerned on my answers to the Hokage concerning this current situation." Kakashi was standing now, Itachi securely in his arms.

The sound of footsteps was heard and suddenly the room filled with about fifteen Uchiha, and a sleepy looking Sasuke.

"Say Hatake, are you implying that I deliberately caused the boy's injury?" Fugaku look bewildered for a second, then grinned and said "Even if that's the case, neither the Hokage nor you have the right to intervene."

"You're right, we don't have the right to intervene." Kakashi said, Fugaku was about to smirk when he added "Unless your actions, in any form, cause a disturbance on the seal and thus endanger the safety of the whole fire country. And if you haven't noticed YET, damaging Itachi is one of the causes of disturbance."

Fugaku was fuming and Kakashi, on one of the rarest sight, was truly angry. Just then, after mentioning Itachi's name Sasuke noticed the limp body in Kakashi's arm, he dashed toward them.

"Itachi? Itachi? What happened to Itachi, Kakashi-san?" he nearly shouted in Itachi's face.

Itachi who seemed to be disturbed by Sasuke shouting, twitched and let out a small moan, but didn't wake up.

Kakashi's attention turned back to Itachi. "I'm gonna take him to the hospital." And he turn to leave the room.

"You can't. It might take more than Safe Hours to treat his injuries." Fugaku calmly said "And if I'm not mistaken passing the Safe Hours is also one of the causes of disturbance."

Kakashi ponder this for a second. "Then call a medic. I'll put Itachi in his room." He slowly went in the direction of Itachi's room.

Fugaku contemplated ignoring Kakashi, but then decide against it. He nod his head to Shisui who was one of the first one who came into the house. He got the hint and hurriedly left the room.

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Itachi slowly opened his eyes.

"I will stay here until I be sure of Itachi's condition, AND ask him what exactly happened last night."

Itachi could hear Kakashi's raised voice from somewhere, but he wasn't sure where.

"I see you're awake."

Itachi turned toward the source of the voice. His vision was blurry but he could make out the outline of a person with long black hair, and behind this person, a white haired figure was standing.

"Ka… Kakahi-san?" Itachi tried to say.

"Kakashi-san is outside waiting for you to…" the person was saying when a load shout interrupt him.

"Don't make me use force Hatake. Even your presence here is penetrating private property. And now you WILL stay to make sure the demon is ok?"

'_The demon… Kakashi want to be sure a demon is ok? It seems he is not worried about me." _Itachi thought. His mind was still a little hazy, but his eyes were clearer now and he could see the smiling face of Orochimaru, the doctor who came to Uchiha 's mansion to give him a check up every once in a while, and his assistant Kabuto.

"It's you who are making me use force Uchiha-san, I'm here on direct order of Yondaime, and therefore I'll remain here until I am sure that ITACHI is ok."

'_Ah… he is worried about me._' Itachi smiled, '_so I am the demon._' He frowned.

"Kabuto-kun, please tell those two to stop shouting outside of an injured person's room." Orochimaru said. Kabuto immediately leave the room and closed the door behind him. "So where was I? Oh yes, say Itachi-kun, can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"

"Two. I'm fine Orochimaru-san. I have a little headache. But everything else is fine." Itachi said.

"As expected from you Itachi-kun, well it seems there is no danger of concussion. Everything is ok for now, but you should remain in bed for at least one week, then you can start walking small distance, with the help of crutches of course. I don't want to discourage you, but your leg is broken in two places. And there is a noticeable bruise on your chest." Itachi smirk upon hearing the last part "I'll come to check on you in two days." Orochimaru stood to leave, when the door burst open and Kakashi walked in, Fugaku close behind him.

"How are you feeling Itachi?" Kakahsi asked Itachi when he was near his bed.

"I'm…"

"Make it fast, Kakashi-san have missions to attend to." Fugake all but snarled.

Orochimaru take one glance at Itachi's blank face and turned to Fugaku "There is something I need to talk to you about on Itachi-kun's condition." He said.

"It can wait a little."

"Yes it can, but _I_ need to get back to my lab." Orochimaru said, his smile stretched slightly farther than it should facially be possible for normal human beings.

Fugaku hesitated a bit but then gave in and followed Orochimaru.

"You're going on a new mission Hatake-san?" Itachi asked.

"Kakashi. I asked a question first." Kakashi said, already back to his nonchalant, easy going nature.

"I am well."

"I am going on a mission."

There was silence.

"How long will the mission last?" Itachi asked when he saw Kakashi's intentional silence, not really in a mood and way too distress by his departure to cope up with his hoaxing ways.

"Huh? I'm going on a mission which I might _die_ on, you know? And THAT's the question you ask? You are so selfish Itachi-kun."

Itachi was taken aback by this for a second, but then he look at Kakashi and saw the mirth in his visible right eye.

"I'm really not in the mood for this now, Kakashi-san."

It was Kakashi's time to be taken aback by itachi's usage of his name.

"Ok Itachi, so let's get serious. I'm going to go on a six weeks mission and before that I want to be sure that everything is right here, that _you_ are fine here. So if your father actually did something last night just tell me."

"He didn't push me on the stairs, if that is what you mean. I just fell. I was too distracted by the night's event."Itachi turned his face and looked at the ceiling, "Why he calls me a demon?"

"I wish I could tell you, but I can't. Sorry Itachi." Kakashi's voice was dejected.

"So you don't deny the demon part." Itachi said, His voice completely emotionless.

Kakashi was startle. "No. That's not it. It's just he keep saying that and…"

"It's ok Hatake-san, it' not like you called me that. Have a safe mission." Itachi said. He then pulled the covers up and buried himself in its warmth.

Kakashi waited there for a few minute, but he knew that he screw up and there is nothing more he could say to change that. '_Itachi is tired and injured now, I'll talk to him when I get back from the mission._' He told himself.

"Well then, feel better Itachi." He wasn't going to face Fugaku again so he just jumped on the window sill, "I'm really sorry about that Itachi."

Itachi suddenly felt guilt grip at his chest, he throw the covers and sit up in his bed, but Kakashi wasn't there. He clenched the cover in his fists.

'_You are an idiot Itachi. Why did you say that? Stupid Fugaku was calling you names for years now, they all did, all the fucking Uchihas, why should you bring the topic up now?_' Itachi could feel the tears, but he refused to let them fall, '_and he brought Hokage-sama for my birthday and used his debt to ask him to fight me AND he remembered. No one, NO ONE, from all those egomaniac Uchihas ever even remembered my birthday. And to think I didn't even thanked him._' A single tear dropped from his eyes. But he furiously rubbed at his eyes.

There was a footstep behind his door. Somebody was standing there. Itachi knew it was Sasuke, his heavy steps couldn't be mistaken with anyone. He stand behind the door then left without even knocking or seeing if Itachi was ok or not.

'_He is just like other Uchihas. I wish I could knock some sense into him, telling him he is just Fugaku's vessel for his only ambition: bringing Uchiha to a greatness which only an Uchiha can see. Where he wants to go with this Uchiha's greatness, it's not like he can take it to his grave. Maybe I should let some of the Uchihas test and see that they can't actually take their ego with them into their next life._'

It was odd. In all these years Itachi never thought of things like this. But all his obedience, all his silence seemed useless and unnecessary now. Why should he obey his father? Why should he listen to Uchiha's whispering? Why should he tolerate his little brother's sympathetic look?

_For Kakashi's always late visits. _A little voice in the back of his mind said. But Kakashi isn't here, and won't be for the next six weeks.

Itachi suddenly got off the bed. He expect a lot of pain in his broken leg but it seemed Orochima had injected him with some painkillers while he was unconscious, cause the pain was dull and tolerable. He knew the pain will be back tenfold when the painkillers wear off, but it was a future concern.

He take a look around his room, there was nothing in the room which he wanted to have with him. So he just put on his casual black clothes and jumped out of the window.

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"The demon host just left the house."

"So last night accident wasn't life threatening?"

"Nah, he is just limping like a puppy."

"Is he going to leave the whole Uchiha compound?"

"Yeah, it seems so."

"Follow him."

"What? You said today is my last day watching the brat, Zetsu was going to take my place."

"I said you are going to change yesterday, NOW I am saying you WILL follow him. Is there any complain?"

…………….

"Good. Follow the host, and don't let townspeople see your freakish blue skin."

……………

"I didn't hear you."

"Yes, sir."

_Freakish? Did he just say FREAISH? There is a human eater, plant-like, thing and two undying zombie in this group and my skin is FREAKISH? And to top it off, everyone is out killing people and destroying village, while I am here, stuck with following a limping puppy._

_Yeah, being an Akatsuki never been this great._

TBC…

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Hi everyone, hope you like the second chapii. There are some things about this chapter I want to mention.

1. This chapter came out this fast thanks to MogamiAmu who was the first (and only one) to review my story. I was really flattered by your message Amu-chan, I wish you enjoy this chapter too.

2. 'Safe Hours' will be explained in later chapters.

3. Orochimaru is a wonderful character, I just love his sound jonin appearance, although I haven't decided yet, whether he will remain a good character or not, I might change that depend on the reviews.

3. Kisame is also one of my favorites, I really believe he and Itachi make a perfect couple, not that it's going to happen in this story ;)

4. Next chapii will be out in about two weeks.

Review of next chapter: Itachi staggered toward the blond. "Hokage-sama?" and he stumbled, the only thing keep him from falling over was the blond's hand, who definitely wasn't the Hokage.

RR

Chii out.


	3. Chapter 3

_Itachi take a look around his room, there was nothing in the room which he wanted to have with him. So he just put on his casual black clothes and jumped out of the window._

Itachi was walking in the streets of Konoha, completely clueless as where he was going and a little overwhelmed by the presence of this many people.

'_What are all these people doing in the street?' _he asked himself. '_What am I doing? At lest they know where they are going, unlike me who doesn't even know how to leave Konoha.' _

It was a sad truth but Itachi was imprisoned in his father's house from when he was a baby, so how should he know where everywhere was.

And Itachi had another problem which was becoming more and more undeniable, the increasing pain in his broken leg, which didn't help the current situation at all. If it wasn't for his leg he could jump on the rooftops and somehow find his way, but it was impossible at the moment.

'_I need to rest somewhere, or else I'll be caught. Wait, will they even come looking for me? I mean, they never cared? Those damned Uchihas.'_

But where he could stay? He didn't have any money. And even if he did, he really didn't want to be involved with people.

Then an idea struck him. '_Maybe I be able to stay at Kakashi's. He is out on a mission for six weeks. I can stay at his place for one or two weeks, then I'll set out. I even can leave him a message, telling him I was using his place. Yes that's the best idea right now._'

Itachi didn't exactly know where Kakashi lived, but he remembered that one time when Kakashi talked about his place, he had mentioned that he could see the Hokage tower quite easily from his place. So Itachi figured out his home should be somewhere near there. Itachi could see the Hokage tower, if he could get close to it, he could ask some locals about Kakashi's address.

Itachi resumed his walking though the street and toward the Hokage tower when he suddenly came across the only golden hair person he had ever seen in his life.

He was sitting at some shop like place, his back to Itachi, but his golden lock unmistakable.

'_Ramen?' _Itachi read the shop's sign.

Itachi knew sooner or later the Hokage would know of his escape, and he looked like he was a cool guy last night. Maybe Itachi could go to him and ask for a little help.

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Fugaku pushed the door open angrily. '_Good, the damn copy nin isn't here._' He thought then he noticed Itachi's empty bed. '_What? Where the hell is that demon?'_

"Itachi? Itachi?"

He searched the whole room. Everything seemed to be in place but there was no trace of Itachi.

'_He's gone? For how long? Damn, I got to tell the Hokage._' Fugaku angrily left the room. The only thing kept him from running down the hall was his Uchiha pride.

'_What if he won't be here before the Safe Hours? He couldn't have gone far with his broken leg. We need to find him, and find him fast.'_

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Itachi staggered toward the blond. "Hokage-sama?" and he stumbled, the only thing kept him from falling over was the blonde's hands, who definitely wasn't the Hokage.

"Sorry, wrong person." The boy said, smiling way too brightly for Itachi's growing headache. "Are you ok?"

Itachi nodded. "Sorry. I mistook you with someone else."

"Ah. It's ok. It happens a lot. Come, come sit here you look pale." He pulled Itachi's hand. "You must be an Uchiha. You just look like Sasuke."

"Hmm."

Itachi sat on a stool next to the boy.

"You know, Sasuke and I are in the same class in the academy." He put a handful of ramen in his mouth. "So you're one of his cousins?"

"Cousins?"

"Yeah. He has lots of cousins. But he just talks about Shisui. Though I don't like the guy, he is so…" he looked at Itachi over his chopsticks "you're not, like, his brother or something, are you?"

"Sasuke's?"

"Nah, Shisui's. How can you call yourself an Uchiha when you don't even know you heir doesn't have a brother."

"He doesn't?"

'_So Sasuke doesn't have a brother. Well, it makes everything easier.'_ Itachi thought.

"I don't interact with family much." Itachi said, then jumped back a little when a hand suddenly came into his face.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage, Believe it." Naruto said, smiling.

Itachi looked at the tan hand for a second. '_It is safe to use my real name right?'_ he thought. The boy looked simple and easygoing and Itachi was tired and in pain. So it was ok for him to sit here and regain some strength to resume his walking and talk with the boy for a few minutes, not that with the boy's nonstop talking he needed to say anything.

"Uchiha Itachi." He shook Naruto's hand.

"Let's celebrate our just made friendship. Here, I'll treat you to a miso ramen."

He mentioned to the old man at the shop. "Hey, old man, a miso ramen. Make it special."

"No thank you, I'm not hungry." Itachi said.

"What are you saying? You are pale and you are thin. You must eat something."

"But…"

The old man put the bowl on the counter. Naruto pushed the bowl toward Itachi.

"Here. Eat."

Itachi didn't know how to refuse the boy, so he just sighed. "Thank you, Uzumaki-san." He put his hand forward to take the chopsticks from Naruto's hand, but Naruto pulled his hand back. Itachi looked at Naruto confused.

"People call my mother Uzumaki-san." Naruto looked a little offended. "I'm treating you to ramen as a sign of our friendship. Do you call all your friends like that? And we are the same age right?*"

'_All my friends?'_ Itachi thought bitterly.

"Naruto-san." Itachi said unsure.

"Nah, try again."

"Naruto-kun?" Itachi asked.

"I hoped you say it without any honorific, but it's ok." Naruto laughed and slapped Itachi on the back, hard, and ignored Itachi's coughing.

"Here. your chpsticks." Naruto gave Itachi his chopsticks.

Itachi shifted a little to ease his coughing but then his leg protested harshly. He gripped the counter and his stomach lurched nuisancely.

"Come on Itachi, eat it." Naruto grinned.

'_There is something terribly wrong with this kid.'_ Itachi thought, a little irritated by the boy's antics. '_But maybe I can use him to find out something about Kakashi's place.'_

"Naruto-kun, do you know a ninja named Hatake Kakashi?" he asked.

Naruto laughed loudly.

'_What is he so happy about?'_ Itachi thought. Maybe sitting with the boy wasn't a very good idea in the first place.

"Why are you laughing?"Itachi asked annoyed. The pain in his leg and the haze in his head, making it difficult for Itachi to keep his cool mask on.

"sorry, sorry, didn't mean to offend you, it's just, Kakashi-san sometimes come to our class to see our teacher Iruka-sensei, and the way Iruka-sensei always gets angry at his perverted comments and orange book and shout at him is so funny." Naruto said. Already finishing his third bowl and was going for the fourth.

"He comes to visit your teacher? Is he like, his family?"Itachi asked. He knew he had more pressing matters at the moment but he couldn't help feel a little disappointed by the fact that Kakashi actually went to visit someone beside him.

"No they're not."Naruto smirked. "But they may become."

Itachi fisted his chopsticks in his hand so hard that they shattered into pieces.

Naruto looked over at him confused.

'_It is ok, you were going to leave the Konoha anyway, so it is ok. It is not like you and Kakashi had anything special going on between you right? RIGHT?'_ Itachi thought. '_Right, keep telling yourself._'

"Hey you ok? You don't look just pale, you're white as a sheet." Naruto asked, concerned.

Itachi wanted to say yes, that he was fine but his running around with a broken leg was taking its toll on him and he could see the darkness creeping into his vision.

"Come on, I'll take you to the hospital."Naruto stood abruptly. He took one of Itachi's arms and slung it over his shoulder, his other hand around his thin waist, and he hoisted him up.

"…no…"Itachi managed to say between gritted teeth.

"But…"

"….Please…." Itachi raised his head as much as he could and try to plea to Naruto to understand, but he wasn't sure if he even made an eye contact or not.

But it seemed Naruto got the pleading in his voice cause he hesitantly said "ok we go to my house, but if you're not better by tomorrow, I'll take you to the hospital no matter what." Naruto's voice didn't left any place for argument and Itachi just nodded, or maybe he just tried to nod. He wasn't too sure. He was going under fast.

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"It shouldn't take more than six weeks."Hokage said.

"I understand." Kakashi said grumpy. He was standing in the middle of Hokage's office, taking his final order for the mission.

"Come on Kakashi, I have no choice, you're the best anbu I have right now."

"I understand."

Hokage sighed.

"Ok. I will go and see to Itachi's condition, and see if I can do anything for him or not. But I don't promise you anything."

"That's more than enough Hokage-sama, thank you."

Just then the door to Hokage's office burst open, and Fugaku Uchiha stomped into the room, Hokage's secretary** on his toe, telling him he can just barge in.

"It's ok." Hokage mentioned to the secretary. "What brought you here Uchiha-san?"

"Itachi had left the house." Fugaku said.

"WHAT?" Kakashi and Hokage both shouted at the same time.

But Minato tried to collect himself first and asked in a calmer voice "What are you saying Uchiha-san? Are you sure Itachi-san left the compound?"

"Yes. There is no trace of his chakra signature in the whole Uchiha compound."

"Maybe he is just concealing his chakra?" Kakashi said.

"He doesn't know how to conceal his chakra." Fugaku said, a tone of disgrace in his voice.

"Are you sure Uchiha-san?" Kakashi turned toward him.

"He doesn't have any training in chakra control." Fugaku also turned toward Kakashi.

"Of course he doesn't, because he is always imprisoned in the house. And I don't suppose you even try to train him anything."

"I don't see the need to waste my breath on a thing like him."

"A thing?" Kakashi clenched his fist. "He is more a human being than any of the Uchihas in your whole compound."

"And how come you know that?" Fugaku stare Kakashi in the eyes.

"I… I…" Kakashi opened his mouth a few times but then he closed it again. He couldn't tell Fugaku about his every once in a while visit to Itachi. It would made a ruckus and would eventually get Hokage involve.

"Even you know he doesn't worth anything, so just don't get yourself involve in the matters which are not of your concern." Fugaku smirked.

Kakashi opened his mouth to say something when Minato's voice stopped him "enough with these talks you two. We have more pressing matter at the moment." Minato send Kakashi a pointed look. "Uchiha-san when did you last saw Itachi?"

"I think you should ask Hatake-san, because he was the last person seen with him."

Hokage turned to Kakashi.

"When I left him he was in his bed, going to sleep."

"What do you think Uchiha-san?"

"If he had left the house RIGHT after Hatake-san left, he should be gone for about two hours now."

"We have three more hours at most. We better find him before that or it might turn ugly."

"I gather some of the Uchihas and we…"

"It's better if we do it without Uchiha's involvement." Minato cut in Fugaku's sentence.

"What do you mean Hokage-sama?" Fugaku said angrily.

"We don't have much time, and, no offence Uchiha-san, but I don't want risk having him run again by the sight of an Uchiha."

"I thought we already pass this stage of treating him Hokage-sama." Fugaku seethed.

"This is an uncalled for situation, AND we don't have enough time to argue over it." Minato was angry now and Fugaku knew better than to say anything more. "Please leave this matter to me and anbu, we will inform you immediately when we find out his whereabouts"

It was an indirect signal for Fugaku to leave the room, he clenched his fist and after a bow to the Hokage left the room.

"Kakashi I leave this matter in your hand, you know Itachi better than anyone." Minato said, concern was evident in his voice.

"And the mission?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing is more important than finding Itachi right now. The safety of Konoha is at stake."

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"The Hokage's brat took the demon host to his house."

"Really? That's an unexpected opportunity. How is the situation in the house?"

"The house is appearing to be empty. The brat is in the kitchen doing some shit. The demon brat is sleeping in one of the rooms"

"Good. Get both of them, and bring them to the base."

"What? Why should I bring the Hokage's brat too?"

"Because that's an order."

"……………"

"Kisame I want them alive. Both of them."

"…………..."

"Kisame?"

"What is the fun in just taking two brats? One of them is not even consider a waste of time."

"You can use whatever method you want with the Hokage's boy, just bring him alive and breathing. But I want the Uchiha unscratched."

"He is already scratched."

"I meant no more scratch that he already has."

"……………….."

"Did you understand Kisame?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Be here at down. I want that Uchiha no matter what."

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Hi to all my readers. I got some questions from you guys on my last chapter which I'm gonna answer here.

1. "_will it be a itakaka or kakaita? I hope it's itachi seme, but it doesn't look like it now_" to answer to your review dear Amestrisses, I should say, It would kill all the fun if I tell you now;) and as I'm sure you have noticed in this chapter Kakashi has other interest beside Itachi, will Itachi's love win him over? We just have to wait and see. ;-)))

2. Madara will appear in the story.

3. Shisui is definitely everything but a brother to Itachi in this story.

4. Fugaku's treatment with Sasuke will be mentioned in a flashback chapter.

*Naruto's misunderstanding of Itachi's age is due to Itachi's height.

**I wasn't sure about the secretary, but I didn't want to make Fugake pass an anbu this easily (and make him look cool). And every important place like Hokage's office should have a secretary, right?

5. Next chapii will be out in about two weeks.

Review of the next chapter: The force of the attack which Kisame didn't expect, caught him by surprise, he stumbled back a few steps and looked at his slightly burned hand.

RR.

Chii out.


	4. Chapter 4

"_Did you understand Kisame?"_

"_Yes sir."_

"_Good. Be here at down. I want that Uchiha no matter what."_

**Chapter 4.**

Naruto raised his head when he heard the sound of footsteps in the direction of the main hall.

'_What was that? Is Itachi up already?'_ he thought.

He put dawn the instant ramen he wanted to make ready for when Itachi woke up, and left the kitchen.

There was no one in the room.

'_was it my imagination?'_ he turned to go back to the kitchen when he came face to face, or to be more precise, face to waist, with a huge, blue guy, with something strapped on his back.

Naruto jumped back and took a defensive pose.

"What are you?" he asked, quite surprised by the man's color.

"Someone you need to be scared of." Kisame replied, smirking.

Naruto's surprised face immediately changed to one of anger. "What do you want?" he almost growled.

"I'm here to take you and your little friend with me." He smirked.

Naruto's body went rigid for a moment, then, "Like hell you will." He shouted, and soon after made a hand seal for his favorite kage bushin jutsu and filled the room with twenty clones of himself.

Kisame merely looked around the room, not really fazed by the number of clones. "Not bad for a brat. But you need to do better than this to take me on." Kisame grinned and displayed his sharp teeth. "But, maybe I waste my time a little and play with you for a while."

Kisame took the handle of Samehada and when the clones jumped on him. He took out his big sword and with one round swing, turned all the clones into smoke.

when the smoke begun to fade, Kisame felt a presence behind him and turned to see a shuriken coming his way, he simply lifted his sword in front of it, the shuriken hit Samehada not that forcefully, but upon impact Kisame saw the exploding tag attached to the shuriken, and the sound of explosion filled the house.

Kisame didn't even flinch by the explosion, he merely shook his free hand a little to clear the smoke created by explosion. '_Annoying brat, keep making smoke.'_ He thought.

Just as Kisame managed to clear the smoke a little, he saw the shadow of a figure running toward him, with a shiny ball in his right hand. Naruto came close to kisame and brought his hand forward to hit Kisame, and Kisame raised his left hand up to stop the impact.

The force of the attack which Kisame didn't expect, caught him by surprise, he stumbled back a few steps and looked at his slightly burned hand.

"Well, well, aren't you an interesting hyper brat," Kisame said, looking at Naruto who was standing a few pace away from him, panting. "It seems you're not cut out for big attacks like this. And your jumping around is annoying, maybe I chop off one of your legs to calm you down a little."

Kisame took one step toward Naruto, when a sound caught his attention, he turned sharply and saw another Naruto coming to him with the same shiny ball in his hand.

"It seems you don' have any other technique to keep me interested, I'm bored with you." Kisame swing Samehada in front of Naruto before he reach him.

The shiny ball immediately disappeared and Naruto fell on the ground hard. He was dizzy and his ears were ringing. And he couldn't master any chakra, hell, he couldn't even feel it.

'_What is it? He didn't even hit me. Why can't I master any chakra?_' Naruto thought. '_Is it because of the rasengan?'_ Minato always keep telling him that he shouldn't use rasengan two times in a row, that he wasn't ready yet.

Naruto raised his head a little, which, mind you, was a feat in itself, and looked at Kisame's approaching, blur form.

'_Damn, what is going to happen now? What is he going to do with Itachi?'_ Naruto's head dropped to the floor, his vision fading. '_I should have taken him to a hospital.'_ And Naruto passed out.

######################################################

Itachi knew something was wrong even before he regain consciousness.

His leg hurt like hell, his chest felt a little sour, and he had a splitting headache, but something kept telling him that these were not the thing which was wrong.

He opened his eyes slowly, Itachi wasn't sure how much time had passed from the time he fainted but it was night now. He vaguely remembered being carried by Naruto and entering a big and rich looking house, but the rest was a blank. He looked at his surroundings, he was in a big bed, in a big room, everything seemed untidy and out of place and very shiny with bright colors.

'_It's his room.'_ Itachi thought with a little smile on his face.

Then his uneasy feeling came back and his smile faded. Right at this moment he heard the sound of an explosion from somewhere in the house.

'_That was an explosion?'_ Itachi struggled to sit in the bed. '_Could it be that Uchiha came for me and are fighting with Naruto and his family?'_

Itachi swung his legs over the edge of the bed, or tried to, cause as soon as he moved his broken leg a hot pain shot through his leg, darkened his vision and nearly made him go reeling back on the bed. But Itachi wouldn't let himself fall this easy so he caught himself, took a few deep breaths, gripped the headboard and tried again.

It was a lost fight and Itachi knew it, but he was determine to do something. He couldn't let Naruto get hurt because of him.

Itachi succeed in his fourth attempt, but by this time he was out of breath and his face was drained of any color. Just as Itachi started to get his bearing back, the door of the room burst open and Itachi was greeted with the sight of a huge blue guy, with an unconscious, beaten Naruto slung over his shoulder.

#################################################################

"We found him Kakashi. He is at Hokage's mansion." Pakkun informed Kakashi.

"At Hokage's? Why is he there?" Kakashi said. He was in Konoha's outskirt.

'_Damn, I thought he would leave Konoha as soon as he leaves the Uchihas.'_

He took a sharp turn toward Konoha.

"What is the situation there?"

"Naruto is with him, but one of the Ninkens traces an unknown person's chakra near the mansion. The person's chakra is unbelievingly high." Pakkun said.

"I'll head to the mansion, but I have another mission for you."

###################################################################

Itachi stood still in his place, not moving a muscle, not that he could move anything anyway, and did the only thing he could actually do in his current state. He activated his sharingan, using the little chakra he still had.

Kisame looked at the boy and his red eyes. '_Heh, he can activate sharingan. Shouldn't he be older to be able to activate it?'_ he thought._ 'Wait. How old is he anyway?'_

There was silent in the room for a few second.

"Shouldn't you ask anything kid?" Kisame said in his mocking, loud voice.

"You don't seem like you are here to talk."

"Are you trying to be smart with me?" Kisame said, even if he didn't like the boy's answer, it didn't show in his voice.

"I'm just stating the fact." Itachi said, using all of his willpower to not let the pain show in his voice.

"You're too cheeky for your own good."

"Hmm."

"It might hurt you in some way." Kisame said, shifting Naruto a bit on his shoulder.

Itachi's red eyes flashed for a moment. "What are you going to do with Naruto-san?" He said, still calm, but an unspoken threat in his voice.

Kisame wanted to laugh out loud, the boy couldn't stand without the help of the headboard and his face was way too white for a normal human being, but here he was, talking back to an obviously dangerous person and even dare to THREAT him, HE, Kisame of all people. But Kisame couldn't help himself but like the boy.

'_Maybe I provoke him a little more and see what he can do with this sharingan of his.'_ Kisame toyed with the idea for a second but then discarded it. He knew even if it wasn't for Pain's order, the boy wasn't in a good state for a fight right now. '_There is always time for a good warm up when I take him to the base.'_

"I don't want to hurt your pride kid, but it's none of your business." Kisame said, taking a small step toward Itachi. "And if I were you, I would be more concern about myself."

"Are you trying to say that you are going to take me too?" Itachi said while frantically searching for an escape route.

'_What does he want from me and Naruto-san?' _itachi thought. '_I don't care what happens to me but I can't let him take Naruto-san.' _

"Yeah, something like that."Kisame took another step forward.

'_Naruto-san is still alive, does this mean he wants me alive too? This is a wild guess, if he doesn't want me alive, this will be the end.' _And in a swift movement Itachi took out a kunai from his back pocket.

"What? Should I be threatened by that?" Kisame said in a mocking voice, his grin wide enough to show his sharp teeth.

Itachi hold up the kunai… "No. but maybe you should be threaten by this." And put it on his neck.

Kisame suddenly stopped. '_Yes.'_ Itachi thought.

Kisame, upon seeing the triumphant glint in Itachi's eyes, knew he screwed up by his sudden action.

"Why should I be threaten by that?" Kisame said, trying to sound sarcastic.

"I don't know. Why should you?"

"You're just going to hurt yourself more than you already are. Just drop the act and come with me quietly." Kisame was a bit annoyed now. He really didn't want to face Pain's anger if the boy were to die.

'_He knows that I am injured. Was he following me around, or did he just saw us when we entered here?'_ Itachi thought.

"Where?" He said.

"Huh?" Kisame wasn't sure if he heard correctly.

"Where do you want to take me?" Itachi said, his face completely passive, showing no sign of letting the kunai go.

"To the place we took demons like you to."

'_Demon? So he was after me after all.'_ Itachi thought. "Let Naruto-san go and I'll go with you."

"Heh, you're not the one who _choose_ to either go with me or not. I _will_ take you."

"Of course, you can take my dead body." Itachi said a dead serious expression on his face.

Kisame frowned. "Let me say it clearly brat, I can put this blond friend of yours down now and take you, but what prevent me from taking him again after I disarmed you?"

"Nothing. But I can always die on the way back to your place." Itachi was running out of options fast, at first glance he thought the huge guy might be stupid, but he wasn't, and Itachi couldn't ignore the truth in his words. '_Well he can just knock me out the whole way back.' _He thought.

"I can just knock you out the whole way back you know." Kisame annoyance was getting the better of him. '_Just one little move and I'll take the kunai, I didn't really wanted to knock you out kid, but it seems you are going to sleep until we reach the base.'_

'_I can't use any of my eye techniques right now, even keeping it active up till now was a feat, so fighting is not an option. But on the other hand it will go out of my hand if I am to be unconscious all the way, but if I am alert I may find a way to let Naruto-san escape,'_ Itachi thought. '_And the rest is not important, if what he says is true then it might even be better for me to be there, with someone other than me who is called demon.'_

Kisame was ready to strike at the slightest show of weakness from Itachi but Itachi's abrupt move stopped him. Itachi brought his hand low and dropped the kunai on the ground.

"I'll go with you." He calmly said.

"Like you had any other choice." Kisame snorted.

"I need help." Itachi said when Kisame didn't make any move.

'_The brat acts like he is the one ordering around.'_ But despite all this Kisame still listened to the boy.

He went toward Itachi, when he was next to him, Kisame put his large hand around Itachi's thin waist and lifted him off the ground with one move.

Itachi gritted his teeth to stop himself from making any sound, then everything faded into a blur. For a moment Itachi thought that he was losing consciousness, but then he focused and found out that the blur was because of Kisame's running speed, who was running with the extra weight of two boys and a huge sword like there was nothing on him.

Itachi was happy that the guy didn't knock him out, now he could see where he was going, he needed to tell Naruto how to get back when he freed him from this blue man's clutch. But still, was it all right for him to actually go with him? To leave Konoha behind? Well it wasn't like he knew much about Konoha, so it wasn't a big deal.

But what about the people he knew, the people he would have never seen again? Well to be more precise Kakashi, he already missed the perverted, always late jounin, what he wouldn't give just to be able to see him one last time and tell him how much he is thankful for all the things he had done for him, all those lonely times he had filled for him.

But there was nothing he could do now, Itachi told himself and tried to think about other things which he would regret leaving behind, it was very sad but Itachi didn't has anything else to regret on leaving behind, surely not Uchihas, well, maybe Sasuke, despite everything he had done and told him in the past, Itachi still felt that he missed him a little, certainly not as much as Kakashi, but yet there was a tiny part in him which kept telling him it wasn't his fault. Really, you cannot help it if you are stupid, now can you?

If it wasn't for Fugaku, if it wasn't for Shisui, if Itachi tried to be more careful, then maybe Sasuke wouldn't act like he did back then, maybe Fugaku wouldn't prevent him from calling Itachi big brother, maybe…

These maybes and ifs were driving Itachi crazy, he wanted to hold his aching head and scream until he couldn't feel anything anymore.

'_Being alert wasn't a thing to be happy about_.' Itachi concluded.

TBC…

**Well writing this chapter was like a challenge, it was Itachi and Kisame's first encounter and I, well, let's say, had a hard time writing it. I wanted the characters to be themselves and not too oc and I had lots of things I needed to consider before writing. I'm not sure if I actually managed all that, but to be honest I'm quite happy with the way this chapter went.**

**- I hope you guys like it too.**

**- Cause this was a major chapter in my story thus far, I really, I mean REALLY, like to hear from you, dear readers, so please leave me a review and tell me what you think.**

_**Next chapter is going to be a flashback of when Itachi is about 8 and the first time he meets Kakashi.**_

**RR**

**Chii out. **


	5. Chapter 5

**I am still alive and breathing, so why didn't I post this chapter sooner? Well let say being lazy is a very, VERY bad thing but I can't just blame laziness cause actually I was also insanely busy. **

**Anyway for those of you who read this story, and actually **_**care**_**, this story won't be abandoned or left unfinished, I already have most of the things planned, and as it is my first story I intend to finish it no matter what.**

**Last thing is I said Itachi is going to be 8 in this chapter, but when I write it I saw that his age won't match, so now we have a 10 year old Itachi and 8 year old Sasuke.**

**On with the story and enjoy reading.**

Itachi waited patiently for Fukagu to finish his routine speech, '_stay in home. Don't go outside. The mansion is the only place you can live in. no one wants you. You are worthless and a disgrace to Uchiha family…._' And so on.

Itachi didn't even need to think to remember his sentences. He just wanted him to finish and leave him so he can go out of the room, and secretly watch Sasuke's training. While Itachi couldn't really see and talk to Sasuke he still liked him and couldn't stop himself but feel bad whenever he couldn't get a technique right and his father scolded him.

When Fukagu finally finished he left the room and slam the door shut behind him. '_He is shutting the door like this when he is in his normal mood, what would he do if he is angry?' _Itachi thought, and listened carefully to the sound of footsteps. When he was sure that his father is far enough he opened the window and jumped out.

Itachi masked his chakra and stood behind a tree silently, watching Sasuke clumsily trying to do a fireball jutsu. After a few minutes Fugaku joined Sasuke, and Sasuke's clumsy movement became more awkward and unfocused.

"What is it? You call it performing a jutsu? Correct your stand." Fugaku said angrily. "The hand seal was wrong. How can I present you as the Uchiha's heir when you can't even do a simple technique like this?"

Sasuke hung his head dawn and stopped trying to do the hand seal. His face was sweaty and his hair was clung to his forehead. '_He looks pathetic.'_ Itachi thought.

"I am tired of waiting for you to master a simple jutsu." Fugaku turned his back to Sasuke. "You won't set a foot in the house until you can do it correctly." And he left Sasuke alone.

Sasuke sat down and furiously rubbed at his eyes, he was an Uchiha, he wasn't going to cry over something like this, but what could he do?, he was doing his best and still he couldn't do it. Maybe if his father explain it to him one more time he could grasp it, but Fugaku just did the technique once and told him a little bit about it, and then expected Sasuke to do it.

'_Maybe Shisui will help me if I ask him nicely?'_ Sasuke thought, but then immediately discard the thought, he knew what was the consequence of asking Shisui, he was probably going to laugh and make fun of him. '_Not that he isn't making enough fun of me enough already.'_ Sasuke thought bitterly.

He suddenly jumped from his place '_I won't let myself be the laughing stock of Shisui and his friends anymore.'_ And made the hand seal again. But like before the outcome was a pathetic little fire with a lot of smoke. Sasuke coughed a few times and fisted his hands. He was looking dawn at his feet when a bright light, brighten the surrounding, he raised his head and looked at the big fire ball coming out of Itachi's mouth. Itachi's face looked like it was on fire, his ebony hair was flowing around his face, a complete contrast to his pale feature.

'_He looks like a God.'_ Sasuke thought, his mouth hanging open.

"You need to close your mouth. You look idiot, little brother." Itachi said coolly, a few second after the fire died dawn.

"What …? How… How can you do the technique?" Sasuke said, still trying to close his mouth.

"I watched you." Itachi simply said, turning his face and looked at the direction of the house. If Fugaku saw him here, he would lock him up, like the last time Itachi sneaked out of the house and went to see Shisui's birthday ceremony. It wasn't like Itachi really cared, he didn't want to go outside, he never been out, so there was nothing that interest him in the world out of his room, or a thing he wish to do.

"You watched me? You just watched me? What? Am I supposed to believe that?" Sasuke huffed.

"No one asked you to." Itachi turned his back to Sasuke. "Then I'll be leaving." He took a big step to go.

"Wait!" Sasuke almost shouted, but when Itachi stopped and turned to look at him, he looked away. Itachi waited patiently for Sasuke to gather his thought.

"Please teach me how to do the jutsu." Sasuke said in a barely audible voice.

"Hmm." Itachi went back to his previous place. "Look carefully."

Sasuke raised his head and looked at Itachi as he do the hand seal slowly, put two of his fingers near his mouth and exhaled.

* * *

Namikaze Minato was standing next to the window in the Hokage tower, looking at the blue sky, with a gloomy expression, when Hatake Kakashi, his only alive pupil, came in.

"Hokage-sama, did you call for me?" Kakashi asked. '_Why is he looking like that?' _he thought.

"Yes." Minato didn't turn to look at him. And the room went silent. Kakashi just stood silently for Hokage to continue. After a few minutes Minato sighed, went to his table and sat dawn.

"Kakashi, I want to ask you to do something for me not as the Hokage, but as a friend." Minato's voice was low, he finally raised his head and looked at Kakashi.

Kakashi didn't say anything he just straighten himself more and nodded sharply.

"I want you to go to the Uchiha's compound, and…" Minato didn't finish his sentence. '_So it's about Itachi, I should have known.' _Kakashi thought.

"What do you want me to do for him?" Kakashi said.

"Well… I'd like to leave the decision to your own judgment." Minato said a bit unsure, and looked straight into Kakashi's eye.

'_You want to help him because you feel responsible for what you have done to him sensei, right? But you can't directly intervene with his situation.'_ Kakashi thought. '_Well things might get a little complicate.' _

Kakashi didn't need to say his thoughts loudly because he knew that Hokage himself knows it. And the hopeful look in Minato's eyes confirmed it.

"I understand." Kakashi bowed and left the room.

* * *

Itachi was happy for the first time in his life, he could teach Sasuke how to do the jutsu correctly, and then they had a little spar which wasn't that much of a spar with Sasuke's bad fighting ability and Itachi's nonexistence fighting experience.

But the reason for Itachi's real happiness was that he made a deal with his little brother to visit him secretly and have sparing sessions almost every day. Itachi never experienced something like this before, he always just sneaked out of his room to have a look around without any purpose, and it really didn't matter to him if he was to be caught. But now everything was different, he was sneaking out because he actually wanted to go out and see his brother.

It was the fourth day in raw that Itachi and Sasuke were going to the near clearing to practice together, Itachi was starting to lose his usual coldness and Sasuke was wondering why he never seen his aniki's laugh before when the smile made his face so charming and kind.

Today they were practicing on shuriken throwing. Sasuke took a handful of shuriken and sprint toward a tree, he then jumped up while trying to throw the shuriken at the target in mid air. But he lost his balance after throwing the second shuriken and fell dawn, landing on his ass.

Itachi smiled and went to help his fallen brother when he heard a loud laugh. Itachi wanted to run or hide somewhere before the person who was laughing saw him but the sound was too close and before Itachi could made a move a figure emerged from the shadows of the trees.

"As expected from the disgraceful successor of Uhcihas, The Uchiha Sasuke." Shisui said while clapping his hands. He then turned toward Itachi and his eyes that were mocking a second ago turned hateful.

"And what the hell do you think you are doing out of the house?" he took three long strides and loom over Itachi, who was a head shorter than him. "Have Fugaku-sama been informed on you being here?"

Itachi didn't answer immediately, he needed some time to think before answering, his answer could directly affect Sasuke and Fugaku's treatment of him. Just when Itachi opened his mouth Sasuke jumped in front of him and spread his hands, like he wanted to protect Itachi.

"Shisui, please, don't tell my father." He said. Itachi wanted to smack him on the head, how could he be so idiot, pleading was exactly the thing Shisui wanted to hear.

"I always do tell you to think before you act, so you won't end up looking like an idiot." Shisui said, while grinning like a maniac. Sasuke hang his head dawn and fisted his hands.

"Aww, don't be ashamed Sasuke, being stupid isn't ones fault. And I didn't expect much from you, having a demon for big brother and such." Shisui said and smirked at Itachi.

"Don't call my aniki demon." Sasuke shouted.

"Hey, don't forget who you are talking to." Shisui said angrily. "Not only he is a demon, but his presence is a nuisance to all of Uchiha."

By this time Sasuke was shaking with rage. "I'm sure Fugaku-sama wants to get rid of him as much as everyone in this clan wants to. And also your mother, and even you once said it was better to not have a brother who is acting…"

"SHUT UP." Sasuke shouted and lunged to hit Shisui, but he just simply sidestepped and punched Sasuke's face hard. Sasuke fell to the ground, the corner of his mouth bleeding.

Shisui took a long stride toward Sasuke, "Your manners toward your elders are terrible, I think you should be thought a lesson." But just as he extended his hand to take Sasuke by collar, Itachi appeared between him and Sasuke.

"It'd be more _healthy_ for a shorty, untrained person like you, to not interfere with a trained ninja."Shisui said.

"I'm not interfering with Sasuke." Itachi calmly said.

"Why you…" Shisui gritted his teeth, and tried to punch Itachi too, but Itachi swiftly blocked his fist.

'_What the…?_' Shisui who didn't know Itachi can actually block his attack growled and took a kunai out of his pouch and slash at Itachi but Itachi brought out his own Kunai and blocked this attack too. Shisui tried to slash Itachi a few more times but when he saw that he couldn't break Itachi's defense, jumped back and made a hand seal for the katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (fire release: great fireball jutsu), and send the fire flying toward Itachi and Susuke.

The fire hit Itachi directly and Shisui could almost smell the scent of burning.

Just as Shisui start smirking at his victory he heard a low rustling sound and turn just in time to block a bunch of flying shuriken. He then sharply turned and saw Itachi's and Sasuke's body which were on fire popped and turned into a log. '_When did he….?'_ Shisui thought but he didn't have much time to ponder, because Itachi was flying toward him with an arm length shuriken.

Shisui hurriedly block his attack, took a step back then come forth with so much force and locked his kunai with Itachi's shuriken he then gave a strong tug to Itachi's shuriken and with the advantage of his bigger and much more trained body send the shuriken soaring out of Itachi's hand.

Itachi hopped back and held his hand for a moment, but he didn't have time to hesitate, because Shisui was coming toward him with his drawn kunais. But as soon as Shisui was in front of him Itachi made one of the few hand seals he knew and made a big fire ball right in Shisui's face. Shisui who didn't expect the technique just have enough time to raise his hands and cover his face.

Itachi was panting slightly, it was his first combat and he had no idea what he had done or what should he do now, but he knew something for sure and that was if he had really killed Shisui it would be the end for him. Itachi gather his thoughts and went to the place where the fire was still burning to see what had become of Shisui.

When he was standing right next to the fire he felt something but he didn't have the time or speed to react and Shisui's leg connect with his head hard, the next thing Itachi knew was that he was flying in the air, but it didn't end at that, while Itachi was still in the air Shisui appeared in front of him and punched him in the face, he then disappeared and again reappeared behind Itachi and punch him in the stomach hard, by now Itachi wasn't sure where he is and where he is going, and then he collide with a big tree trunk.

'_Wha….? How … he …?'_ Itachi's thoughts were jumbled and he couldn't focus on anything. But he forced his eyes to focus and tried with all his might not to lose consciousness. When Itachi could gather enough sense to actually see where he was he saw the approaching form of Shisui, he was coming to him calmly, while dragging a mildly disoriented Sasuke by arm.

Sasuke was staggering and his face looked more bitten that it was the first time Shisui had hit him. Itachi struggled to his feet and held the tree for support.

Shisui stand two steps away from Itachi and released Sasuke's hand and took him by the hair instead. Sasuke gave a little yelp and tried to pry his hand away.

"This is what you get for acting against you superior, and disobeying the head's orders." Shisui growled. His hair and his right hand were slightly burned and he looked totally pissed. When Sasuke made another noise of hurt, Shisui yank his hair harder than before. "Shut up." He shouted.

"Let him go." Itachi silently said.

"What? I didn't hear you?"

"Let him go." Itachi said again, louder.

"I don't want to." Shisui smirked, "What are you gonna do now?"

Itachi didn't answer he just simply got away from the tree and stand straight. Then closed his eyes and gather his chakra.

"What is that? Do you want to sleep off the whole thing here?" Shisui said sarcastically.

Itachi paid him no heed and slowly opened his eyes to reveal his red swirling sharingan. Shisui suddenly gasp and let go of Sasuke's hair. Sasuke fell to the ground, but didn't try to stand up, too stunned by Itachi's sharingan eyes.

"Sharingan. You can activate it? But how? When?" Shisui took a step back and frowned, "Does Fugaku-sama know that you can activate it? Did you inform him?"

Itachi didn't say anything, he just walked toward Shisui. The dark dots in his eyes swirling so fast, it made Shisui disoriented.

"You DEMON! I'll inform Fugaku-sama right away." Shisui turned his eyes away from itachi's, "Just wait, you'll get what you deserve shortly. Both for leaving Fugaku-sama's house without permission and using a technique you shouldn't be allowed to use." Then he used his teleportation technique and disappeared.

After Shisui's disappearance Itachi deactivate the sharingan and went to Sasuke. He stretched his arm to help him get up. "Are you ok?" he asked. But Sasuke smacked his hand away and jumped to his feet.

"For how long… from when can you activate it." he asked, his voice slightly raised.

Itachi frowned and pulled his hand back. " …about more than a year."

"Wha… WHAT? more ….more than a year?" Sasuke was speechless. "Then why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke said accusingly, while pointing a finger toward Itachi.

Itachi who was getting annoyed by Sasuke's tone of voice and manner, pulled his cold mask on his face again and said, "You already had problem performing a simple jutsu." 'And_ I didn't want to confuse you and make more dilemma between you and father.'_ Itachi added in his mind.

Sasuke fisted his hands, "So all this time you were making fun of me and my inability to do the technique." He was shaking with rage.

"No, I wasn't. I didn't mean it like that…."

"ENOUGH! Of course you were having fun, why else would you leave the house without permission. And you do the technique like it was nothing. Sure I could have done that with sharingan."

Sasuke turned his back to Itachi, "I also wish you get what you deserve from father." And ran out of clearing.

* * *

The next few days were a mixture of shouting, cursing and a series of beating which were mostly directed at Sasuke and his inability to activate his sharingan while his brother could do it in the confine of his room.

Fugake changed Itachi's room afterward and put him in a dark basement like room under the compound. Itachi was held there for two whole months, and when Fugaku finally let him out, he was ordered to go to his room immediately.

Itachi did not even once see Sasuke after the time when he had left the clearing, and during all this time.

* * *

**I was originally intended to have Kakashi met Itachi for the first time in this chapter, but this chapter just wouldn't end so it has to wait for another chapter.**

**I WILL post next chapter sooner than this one.**

**Review of next chapii: **"Finally. I was starting to get disappointed by Konoha's ninjas lack of notice." Kisame grinned. "Now I can have a real fun."

"You seem to have lots of guts, wanting to be detect in the middle of a village full of enemy, and not to mention trying to kidnap an Uchiha and the Hokage's son."

**RR.**

**Chii out.**


	6. Chapter 6

Itachi remained silent in Kisame's clutch until the fast movement around him became too much for him and he started to feel nuisance, he was about to raise his head and tell the blue monster to slow down a little, when Kisame suddenly stopped.

Itachi raised his blurry head and his breath caught in his throat by the sight of the one and only Kakashi Hatake, who was standing right in Kisame's path. While he looked nonchalant and carefree like his usual self, Itachi could feel the slightest anxiousness in his composure.

"Finally. I was starting to get disappointed by Konoha's ninja's lack of notice." Kisame grinned. "Now I can have a real fun."

"You seem to have lots of guts, wanting to be detected in the middle of a village full of enemy," Kakashi calmly answered. "And not to mention trying to kidnap an Uchiha and the Hokage's son."

'_Hokage-sama's? Namikaze-sama's son?'_ Itachi thought and turned his head to look at Naruto's slumped form. '_Naruto-san is Hokage-sama's son? Damn, what have I done? I should have saved him back then no matter what. What if my inability to save him back then cause him sever injury, or even death? How can I ever face Hokage-sama again?' _Itachi was going to make a move when Kakashi's voice stopped him.

"Let those two go and I let you go free this time." Kakashi said.

"Just the promise of going free isn't enough to let these two go" Kisame said. "It is too cheap for them."

"Then what do you want?" Kakashi said, while keeping annoyance out of his voice.

"How about a fight." Was all Kisame said before dropping both boys down and leaping toward Kakashi. He took Samehada from his back and slashed at Kakashi. All this movement took only two seconds and made Itachi amaze at the blue guy's speed yet again.

But Kakashi wasn't called a genius for nothing, he was already prepared for his attack, and when Kisame's sword connected with Kakashi, the only thing that got hurt was Kakashi's clone which popped and turned into smoke.

Kakashi jumped back a few steps and slide his mask down to reveal his sharingan, but that was all he could do before Kisame was slashing at him again. Kakashi took out a kunai and stopped the sword, but Kisame was physically stronger than Kakashi and Kakashi could feel his legs slipping on the ground.

Kisame smirked wildly and gave a strong push, Kakashi's defense broke and Samehada hit his right shoulder. Itachi found himself gasping sharply, '_It can not be…'_ "Is that all? So much for Konoha's copy nin." Kisame grinned and raised his sword.

The sword came down too fast. Itachi felt numb. He could feel the blood rushing to his head. Just as Itachi felt the feeling was too much to bear, he heard a chirping sound, and the rest happened in a flash. Kakashi ran toward Kisame and his chidori hit the huge demon in the stomach. Kisame was sent flying into a branch of tree, several feet away from them.

Kakashi didn't waste any time he ran toward Itachi and Naruto. He checked Naruto's pulse. "Good he is alive." He then turn to Itachi, "hurry up we have to…" but he had to stop eventually.

Itachi wasn't listening to him, his face was a mixture of relief, anger, sadness, confusion and some un-describable feelings, not to mention very pale.

Kakashi took Itachi and shook him a little. "Itachi get yourself together, we don't have time, we must hurry." Itachi's eyes locked with Kakashi's. "I don't think he gets defeated by just that, we have to leave here immediately." When Itachi didn't give any indication that he was listening or confirming Kakashi, he decided to get action by himself. He released Itachi and went to Naruto, he carefully but hurriedly lifted him and put him on his shoulder, then turned toward Itachi but was taken aback when saw him standing.

"Good, we can go now." Kakahsi said, and started to go when he saw Itachi moving his head.

"I won't go back." Itachi wasn't looking at Kakashi.

"Itachi, we really don't have time for this, we have to …"

"You take Naruto-sama, and tell him I am sorry that I couldn't help him."

"What are you …? What do you mean?" Kakashi was speechless for the first time in his life. "What are you going to do when…" but he was cut off by Kisame's big figure appearing a step behind Itachi.

Itachi didn't seem too fazed, he just took a step backward, and hold onto Kisame when his broken leg gave away. Kakashi looked at the scene in front of him, he would surely laughed by the confused look on Kisame's face, if they were somewhere else and the situation wasn't so dire.

But right now it wasn't funny. It seemed that Itachi really wanted to go with the blue man whom Kakashi didn't even know. And Kakashi was at loss at what he should tell Itachi.

"You don't understand how this situation can be dangerous for you," '_and the whole village.'_ Kakashi added in his head. "Why do you want to leave here Itachi?"

"There is nothing for me here, but imprisonment. Always in that damn room with my damn father telling me what not to do." Itachi said calmly.

"Itachi …"

"I am FUCKING tired." Itachi shouted, but even his shout seemed cold and detached.

'_Shit.'_ Kakashi thought, he then raised his head and looked at Kisame, but surprisingly he wasn't doing anything, he was just standing there, letting Itachi latch to his arm and listening to their exchange with an amused look on his face.

"Why would you want to go with him?" Kakashi said, trying and hoping with all his heart that the blue guy waits enough for him to bring some sense into Itachi.

"He is a demon." Itachi said coldly.

Kakashi could feel his heart missed a beat. '_That's it. Because of me and my stupid words back then.' _

Kakashi heard Kisame chuckled behind Itachi. "Itachi, you can't leave Konoha." Kakashi said firmly.

"And why is that?" was Itachi's response.

"We need you here." Kakashi said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Itachi lifted his head abruptly. "What about…." '_What about you, do you need me here, too?'_ Itachi stopped himself before he actually says it and instead said, "What do you mean?"

"I can't explain it right now, we are running out of time. Just come with me and I'll tell you everything." Kakashi said, '_And fuck whatever Fugaku is going to say.'_ He added in his mind.

"You will?" Itachi said, and kakashi could hear his resolve breaking.

"Yes." Kakashi said, his voice sharp and certain.

"You promise?" Itachi said, lightening his hold on Kisame's hand.

This time Kakashi just nodded firmly. But then Kisame cleared his throat to indicate his presence and said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but aren't you forgetting something?"

"Ah, yes, you were here, too." Kakashi said and Kisame could see a smile under his mask. "Itachi, just let go. I've got you." Kakashi told Itachi and his smile broadened.

Itachi didn't even hesitate, he just let go of Kisame's hand and felt himself sliding to the ground. But Kisame didn't waste any time either. He extended his hand to take Itachi.

Just as Kisame's hand reached Itachi, he felt something and raised his hand in time to block the blow of a leg in his face. But the impact was too powerful and Kisame lost his footing and fell on the ground hard.

When Kisame got up on his feet he saw a weird looking guy with a bowl cut hair and horrible green attire. One of the man's hands was extended toward him and the other was behind his back. And his smile was too bright.

But what happened to Itachi, he didn't hit the floor, but instead felt himself being held in someone's arm. He looked up and saw Kakashi's face closer than ever. With his mask dawn and his red eye shining. While a position like this was one of Itachi's wildest dream, he was too tired to appreciate it, he just hold up his head and looked at Kakashi as long as he could, until all his surrounding faded and he went limp right there in Kakashi's warm and secure arms.

Kakashi felt Itachi's body going limp in his hold, he turned his head and looked at Pakkun. "You were late." He almost barked.

"I couldn't find him anywhere." Pakkun said while licking his paw calmly.

"And anbu?"

"They'll be here shortly." Pakkun looked at Itachi. "Still alive?"

"Of course. Otherwise we would all be in a big trouble by now."

"You better hurry. Just 20 minutes left."

"Yes I know." Kakashi's gaze turned to Gai. "Gai?"

"I've got him. You take the boys and go on ahead." Gai said smiling brightly at Kakashi over his shoulder.

Kakashi nodded his head, made a shadow clone which hold Naruto. When he and his clone got ready to leave, he heard kisame low growl, "Not so fast."

Kisame charge toward Kakashi but before he gets to them Gai appeared in front of him, "I'll be your opponent." And send another kick toward him.

Kakashi didn't wait to see the outcome he just turned and left the clearing in a flash.

Itachi awoke to a familiar bed. And he didn't even need to think to know he was in his own room and in his own bed. For a moment he wondered briefly why Fugaku hadn't send him to that all so familiar basement already. But the thought was fleeting and unimportant right now.

He had failed to escape his fate and he didn't think he would get another chance like that one, ever in life again.

He then thought about Naruto, but he had a feeling that he was fine. He let out a sigh of relief when he remembered Kakashi's hold on Naruto. '_There is no way Kakashi-san let anything happen to Naruto-san. He is Hokage-sama's son after all.'_

But remembering Kakashi's hold on Naruto, made him remember how Kakashi was holding him tightly in his arms. It made Itachi blush madly. He could feel the heat radiating from his face. Ah, how he wished the hold was for something other than just saving or requirement of that time.

"I think he is running a fever, Oorochimaru-sama."

Wait. Was there someone else in the room?

Itachi heard a chuckle. "I don't suppose so Kabuto-kun." Itachi felt a cold hand on his forehead. "You're awake, aren't you Itachi-kun?"

Iatchi slowly opened his eyes. The feeling was nostalgic and all too familiar, he could clearly remember waking up to the same white hair who was not Kakashi before. Wait, wasn't it just this morning? IF, it was still the same day, of course. The same day that felt like a month to Itachi. How can this much things happen in just one day?

"Good. Now can you please tell me how are you feeling?" Oorochimaru said, taking a seat beside Itachi's bed. Itachi could already feel the blush leaving his face.

"You are the doctor." Itachi glanced at the window.

If Oorochimaru was offended by Itachi's word, he didn't show it. "If you believe so, why don't you listen to my words as a doctor?"

"Hmmm." Was Itachi's only response.

"Well, anyway, I must say Itachi-kun that you choose the worst time of all to leave your house. And the only result you get was that you made your condition worse than before. Now you should remain in bed for at least two weeks. And I mean completely in bed."

Itachi didn't even bother to 'hmm'.

"If the words reach me that you left your bed, I'm afraid that I might have to use some, let's say, more strict measure to keep you intact." Oorochimaru smiled widely. It seemed like he was going to enjoy using that measure on Itachi.

Itachi just gave out a silent 'hmm' to indicate that he understood Oorochimaru. But it was enough for him because he just simply got up and said "I'll come up for another check up tomorrow. Feel better, Itachi-kun." And went to the door.

"Do you need me?" Itachi whispered. He regretted the words even while they were coming out of his mouth. He just wished that those two hadn't hear him. But the luck wasn't on his side when Kabuto turned toward him, even though he didn't answer, he questionably looked at Oorochimaru's back.

For a moment it seemed like he wasn't going to answer, he twisted the handle and opened the door, but before he completely got out of the door Itachi heard his almost inaudible answer.

"You have more usage for this village than you can ever think of."

Itachi was still looking out the window and Kabuto could only see Oorochimaru's back, so it was natural that neither of them saw the broad smirk spreading on his ghostly white face.

It was just after Kabuto closed the door behind him that Itachi felt a shiver ran down his spine for some reasons unknown to him.

TBC…

**Hi everyone, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, and I also hope you don't mind how I just skipped on the whole Kisame and Gai's fighting scene. I'm totally bad at writing those stuff. When there is jutsu I can manage somehow (I know the scene is still not the best one) but when there is just hand to hand fight, well, let's say you don't even want to know. AND if in the future I ever want to try and write a hand to hand combat part, it most definitely won't be Gai. He is my least favorite character. **

**And Kisame is going to come back in the future chapters and kick some asses. If he manage to survive Madara's wrath at screwing the mission. Muhahaha **

**Review of the next chapii: **_**"So I would know just by looking at one of the sealed ones?" Itachi asked. Hokage nodded his head. "If that's the case I should say one of the seals is in this room right now." Silence fell on the whole room and it's occupants. Not counting Itachi, there were 5 people in the room, Namikaze Minato, Kakashi, Fugaku, Kabuto and Oorochimaro. **_

**Now who is the first seal of the triangle seal? You just have to read the next chapter and see, but I'll be really happy to know which one of them you think is the one. ;D**

**Chii out**


	7. Chapter 7

"That's the final decision." The forth Hokage said firmly.

"You can't decide this by yourself Hokage-sama," Fugaku said angrily. "We already talked about it and you gave me your word that you won't interfere with the matters concerning him."

"That was when I thought you can keep Itachi safe and in check." It was obvious that Minato was preventing himself from shouting.

"I am acting the way I see fit."

"Yes, you are. But it seems your _fitness_ is endangering Konoha." Hokage said sarcastically, and Kakashi knew that Minato's being sarcastic is not a good sign.

Fugaku raised his fisted hands. "YOU PROMISED." He shouted.

'_Oops, he didn't just shout at sensei.'_ Kakashi thought.

Namikaze hit both of his hands on his table which made the whole tower tremble slightly, and stood up.

"Yes, I did," despite his furious appearance, Minato's voice was low and dangerous. "But it is the safety of Konoha and my people that is at stake. And honestly, I rather be called a man who can't keep his words than a Hokage who let his village get destroyed."

Fugaku was fuming. But Minato didn't give him a chance to speak and continued.

"Uchiha-san I respect you and your decisions concerning Itachi as his father. But the situation has already reached a dangerous level. If Kakashi was just a few minutes later that night you know what would have happened? We can't be sure as when Itachi might leave the compound again. And next time, we may not be that lucky as to bring him back in time."

Hokage looked Fugaku straight in the eyes. But Fugaku kept his eyes fixed on his fists, which were still shaking with rage. Minato slowly sat back down on his chair.

"I'll come to your house at noon, When Oorochimaru-sama is there. We don't know how Itachi might react to the information."

Fugaku opened his mouth, but then closed it. He gave a very small bow and left the room in fury.

Minato put his face into his hand and let out a sigh. Kakashi stood there without making any sound and waited for Minato to pull himself together.

"Go to the Fugaku-san's house and watch over Itachi until I get there." Yondaime said without raising his head.

"Yes." And Kakashi was out of the room in a blink of an eye.

When Minato felt Kakashi's presence disappeared he brought his head up and looked out the window, now he officially was a Hokage who couldn't keep his words. He knew Fugaku won't keep silent about this and even if he doesn't do a harsh thing he would be sure to let the whole Konoha and other villages know of him breaking his promise.

Yeah, so good for Yondaime's reputation. But there was nothing else he could do. Yes he could send Kakashi to tell Itachi secretly, but then Itachi's condition wouldn't change, and while he was kept locked in his room there was always the risk of him escaping again.

No, it was the best choice, and not to mention his responsibility. He was personally going to go there and see that Itachi's state get better.

Kakashi silently stood outside Itachi's window and looked at his sleeping form. He was glad by Minato's decision. Well it wasn't like he didn't want to keep his promise with Itachi, he had made an unbreakable vow to himself and to Itachi to tell him everything and he was going to do it no matter what.

But he knew that Hokage could explain the whole thing better than him, considering that he was the one who put the seal on Itachi. Never the less Kakashi was going to remain there after Hokage's departure, to keep Itachi company and answer him if he had something to ask him about the demon and the seal.

'_Yeah. You just want to stay here and answer his questions about the seal, it's not like you want to stay here and keep an eye on him because you feel guilty for his escape, his injury and his added pain.'_ Kakashi shook his head a little. He knew he was the main reason that Itachi even started to think about leaving the house. He couldn't forget the look in his eyes the first time he saw him, how he had absolutely no interest in anything, and how it made Kakashi wonder why he was even still alive.

_Flashback:_

Itachi was lying in his bed, looking at the ceiling, the only thing he could do in his room, it was two days after Fugaku finally let him out of the basement.

He wasn't bored, actually he didn't feel anything. Everything looked the same to him. He was living like this from the time he could remember, so there was nothing to be bored about. Yes absolutely nothing, probably nothing, well maybe nothing, ok there was something that made him a little bored, he missed his time with his little brother.

Those few days meant so much to Itachi, he never knew being outside can be that, that, well different from being inside. He didn't practically wanted to go out, it was just going out with Sasuke made him feel the things he never knew exist, and could be felt.

Ah, how he wanted to see Sasuke again, just a glance would be enough, just so he could be assured of his wellbeing.

And then like God wanted to answer his wish the door of the room burst open and Sasuke walked in. Itachi sat up in his bed, he opened his mouth to say Sasuke's name but the look on his face made him stop.

Anger wasn't an appropriate word to describe Sasuke's state, he looked furious. He took two long strides and stopped at Itachi's bed. He stood there for about five minutes in silence. Itachi wasn't going to break the silence, he simply swung his leg over the side of the bed and stood in front of Sasuke. Calmly waiting for him to gather enough sense to tell him what was going on.

"YOU LYING ASSHOLE," Sasuke finally shouted and pointed his finger at Itachi's face.

Well it wasn't really an interpretive sentence, so Itachi didn't know how to respond, therefore he remained silent.

"YOU TRICKED ME… MADE A FOOL OF ME IN FRONT OF THAT BASTARD SHISUI, AND… AND… YOU LIED." Sasuke took another step forward. And for a moment Itachi thought that his finger will go into his left eye.

"I would appreciate it if you refrain from tearing my ear out with your shouting." Itachi said calmly. "And either tell me what you are talking about first or leave." He then slapped Sasuke's hand away from his face.

"Yes, you don't know, why should you know? You are always locked in this fucking room, so…" Sasuke fisted his hands and raised both of them, like he was going to punch Itachi anytime now. "So, how is that YOU fucking KNOW how to ACTIAVTE THE SHARINGAN?" He got a little closer to Itachi and once again brought Itachi's short stature into light, by standing almost face to face with Itachi. Well Sasuke was still a few inches shorter, but it was undeniable that it was going to change in a few years.

"What is about me, activating that sharingan thing, is that important?" Itachi said, still calm and collected.

"That sharingan thing? You just said _that_ sharingan _thing_? Do you want to say it was nothing, that activating _THAT THING_ was nothing? Are you belittling me? That I can't do it? That you are better? That…." Itachi cut Sasuke off.

"I didn't mean it like that." Itachi was starting to lose his calmness. Why activating that thing was that important, he didn't even try that hard, it just happened one day when he was mimicking Sasuke's chakra gathering thing. Could it be that Sasuke wasn't able to do that simple thing? "I just …."

It was Sasuke's turn to interrupt Itachi. "You just what? You didn't secretively practice to activate sharingan, it just suddenly popped into your eyes, ne?"

"No I didn't…." '_Wait, was trying to gather chakra considered a practice?' _Itachi thought. He sometimes had seen Fugaku trying to tell Sasuke how to do it, but he didn't know it was a practice. He thought it was just a basic thing that everyone knew.

"You didn't what?" Sasuke said, pointing his finger accusingly at Itachi again. Itachi looked at the offending finger distastefully.

"You are taking it too far Sasuke. Why should I even answer your interrogation?" Itachi said, decided that he really had no obligation to answer Sasuke's stupid questions and shouting.

" Yes, really why?" Sasuke said, a bitter smile on his lips. "Why should I expect you to answer like a normal _human being _would answer in matters like this? I don't even know why I bothered to come here and _shout _at you when everyone told me it is pointless to speak with a non human thing like you."

Itachi was taken aback by Sasuke's words. He knew the words were true, that no one saw him as a living, breathing human in this house, but to hear them from Sasuke's mouth, made Itachi felt worse than ever in his life.

"This is completely irrelevant." Itachi said, his voice quieter than he intended to.

Sasuke saw Iatchi's distress, and while it should normally made him stop, it just made him feel much better and encouraged him to continue with his talk.

"No, it's completely relevant. You aren't viewed as a human. You are nothing, and yet, you're always in people's talk, in their speech, in their mind. And you know what they all talk about, what WE all talk about? About how your presence is a nuisance, how you always manage to suffer us, how you make trouble for me. How father always use you to say how useless I am, how I am incapable. And he hit me, he punches me and keeps telling me I am a pathetic excuse of an Uchiha, because a CREATURE like you can activate THAT SHARINGAN and I can't."

Sasuke put his hands on Itachi's chest and pushed him. Itachi just blinked and didn't stop him, he just let himself be pushed back. The different thoughts kept twirling in his head and for a moment Itachi wasn't quite sure where he was or why he was here? Yes why was he here? Why was he born an Uchiha? Why he couldn't do some certain things? Why couldn't he live like Sasuke? What was about him that made his father call him a creature?

Itachi came back to the present time by Sasuke's loud voice and for the first time after Sasuke entering to his room wondered why nobody had come to see what's all the shouting about?

"….worthless you are, also a lying asshole who wants to have the attention you don't deserve. I wish you weren't here. I hate you Itachi, I hate your lying guts and your presence and your fucking conceit attitude." Sasuke was panting at this point, his whole form was shaking. But Itachi could feel that his anger has subsided a little by the outburst.

But there was also something else that Itachi felt, he felt empty, he felt nothing. It was like he wasn't the Itachi, Sasuke was talking about. He didn't mattered, sasuke didn't mattered, nothing was of an interest to Itachi. Why should he have any interest in anything, he wasn't the one, he was no one. He was just, there. He wasn't alive he wasn't feeling bad, sad, angry or any other feeling a normal person usually have at a situation like this. So there was really no point in paying attention to Sasuke or bothering himself by his words.

Sasuke suddenly took a small step back. The look on Iatchi's face had changed completely. He wasn't practically angry or irritated or anything, he was just, just, not Itachi. And while Sasuke didn't like to admit it, it made him a little scared.

"Foolish little brother," Itachi said and took a long stride toward sasuke. "Being this angry over your own inability to perform a simple thing like sharingan, just show how _YOU_ are not worth the credit you gave yourself."

When Itachi got closer to Sasuke, he hurriedly stepped back and then, very unceremoniously fell on his butt. Itachi hovered over sasuke and sent him a distasteful glance. "You really are foolish, little brother."

When Itachi turned his back to Sasuke, he jumped on his feet and while backing toward the door shouted, "Don't call me little brother. Father said you are not my aniki anymore and I shouldn't tell of your existence to anyone."

"Were you telling others about me before?" Itachi snorted, which was very unlike him.

Sasuke who didn't had anything more to hurt Itachi with, and felt quit stupid for not having anything more to retort to Itachi's respond with, backed out the room and slam the door hard behind him. Just as the sound of his running footsteps faded, Itachi heard another footstep, and then the sound of a key turning into the lock.

'_Dear Fugaku put a lot of thought into this scheme.'_ Itachi thought indifferently. He went back to his bed. And just as he was about to sit, he heard something and turned in time to see a figure entering from the window.

"Yo." The man said. Itachi just silently looked at him. Two things got Itachi's attention more than anything. One, the man had white hair, which was weird between all the black haired Uchihas. Two, the man had a mask which covered most of his face and his left eye. Not that any of this things mattered.

When Itachi didn't make a move, Kakashi went toward him and extended his hand. "I'm Hatake Kakashi." But Itachi didn't take his hand.

"What do you want?"

"Ah, nothing really. I was just bored and thought I would come and kill some time here." Kakashi scratched his head sheepishly.

"And why would you want to kill your time here?" Itachi coldly asked.

"Well one of my friends recommended this place, he said I could find a good company here." Kakashi said and looked around the room lazily.

"Sorry, but it seems you get the direction wrong." Itachi said, already disliking his idle way of speaking and manner.

"What? But isn't it Fugaku's house?" Itachi nodded. "And, aren't you Uchiha Itachi?" Itachi nodded again.

"So everything is right, it's definitely the place." Kakashi then dropped himself onto Itachi's only chair.

Itachi simply looked at him. There was no trace of anger on his face. '_Wow, what a composure, I was sure he would be shouting by now. It seems I was wrong.'_ Kakashi thought, and glanced at Itachi. When he saw no indication that he was going to do or say anything, Kakashi brought out his Icha Icha book and started reading.

Itachi simply looked at him for a few seconds then went to his bed and lay down, his back facing Kakashi, what was the point in getting angry over something that didn't even mattered to him, and before he knew it he was asleep.

When Itachi awoke some time later the room was dark. He turned in his bed and surprisingly the white hair man was sleeping on his chair. It was really weird, didn't the guy have something to do other than sleeping in someone's room and chair? Well, it wasn't like his presence made any difference to Itachi and his life, so getting irritated was practically useless. So ignoring was the best thing Itachi could do, and he exactly did that.

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It was the sixth day in raw of the white haired man coming to Itachi's room, making a completely one sided conversation, reading an orange book, and just simply being there.

And Itachi, without himself even noticing, was getting used to his presence, to his white hair, lazy attitude, green and blue attire, and even his orange book, which Itachi had no idea what was about.

After about one month of the man's constantly coming to his room, Itachi finally broke his silence and talked to him.

"What is that book?" he asked.

Kakashi who, in reality, was ready for when Itachi started to talk, raised his head lazily and looked at Itachi with his only visible and bored eye. "You mean Icha Icha?"

Itachi slowly nodded.

"Why don't you come and see for yourself?" Kakashi held the book to Itachi. And he came forward and took it without hesitation.

'_Ah, is that mean you are trusting me?'_ Kakashi thought.

Itachi opened the book and looked at it for a few moments. Then calmly closed it and before Kakashi could guess his next action throw it out of the window. Kakashi was on his feet in a blink an eye, which took Itachi by surprise.

"Hey, you shouldn't throw other people's things out the window without actually telling them first." Kakashi said, his voice still sounded bored, albeit he was a little irritated.

"If you want to read those kinds of books, you need go somewhere else."

"Is that mean it's ok for me to come and read other kinds of books here?" Kakashi bend to come face to face with Itachi. And Itachi suddenly was taken aback by the gravity of the black, and still bored looking eye. How could an eye look bored and serious at the same time was beyond Itachi.

"Why it is look like you are asking for my permission now, when you came here whenever you wanted, and did whatever you liked before?" Itachi said, trying to remain indifferent and cold, which wasn't a hard task for him at all.

"Because you never really told me anything about coming here." Kakashi said, and when he saw the puzzled look on Itachi's face, added. "You, not even once, asked me not to come here." when it seemed like something clicked inside Itachi's head, Kakashi sent him a sly grin and stood up from his bend position in front of him.

"I thought you had enough wit to take the hint and leave when I did not take part in your conversations." Itachi said irritably.

"Not taking part in a conversation just means you are agreeing with everything I say, nothing more and nothing less." Kakashi went toward the window and looked down to see where his precious book landed. "But now that you are directly saying you don't want me here. Well, I think I'll be taking my leave now." Kakashi send a warm smile in Itachi's direction and disappeared within a second.

Itachi suddenly found himself running toward the window. He put his hands on the window sill and bended up to his waist to see there was no trace of the book or the white haired out there. '_It is ok. It is not like I wanted him to be here in the first place, so it is fine, yes it is fine.'_ But no matter how many times Itachi told himself it was fine, there was still something inside him that didn't feel right. Like he just did or said something that he could never take back.

Itachi went back to his bed and sat down. He put his elbows on his knees and held his head. '_Everything is like before, everything is just the same. Nothing ever changes for me. It is so helpless, I am so helpless. Maybe I never should have been here, maybe I never should have been born. If I were to leave here no one would even notice, or even leave the whole world for that matter. Maybe I should do something? Right now, right her………..'_ Itachi's train of thought suddenly got cut off by a pop and some smoke.

"Yo." Itachi just stared up at him. "Thank God, my book is safe and sound." Kakashi held the book up for Itachi to see. Itachi didn't say anything.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kakashi eyed Itachi closely. '_He looks like he is about to cry,_' Kakashi thought, '_Maybe I went a little too far?'_

Itachi abruptly got up, but still didn't respond.

"Tell you what, I know a very good and effective way to cheer you up. So what do you say, wanna try it out?" Kakashi's visible eye was dancing. "If you don't say anything, I'll consider your answer yes. Is it ok with you?"

Itachi looked down at his feet, which Kakashi translated as a nod.

"No answer is a yes. So yes it is." Kakashi put the Icha Icha in his pocket, and reached his hand toward Itachi. "You'll never know what a little ninja training can do to a person."

And it was right then and there that Itachi took Kakashi's hand, and made the starting point of a bond which changed his whole life.

TBC,

**ahemm, did anyone notice how my review of the next chapter, in the previous chapter didn't actually happen. He he, anyway I'm gonna make up for that by posting the next chapter in, let's say, about two days, hopefully.**

**Review of the next chapte: (apply the previous review of the next chapter here)**

**Chii out.**


	8. Chapter 8

Kakashi saw Fugaku opened the door for Oorochimaru who was followed closely by Kabuto. Oorochimaru went near Itachi's bed and took his hand carefully as to not wake him up. But as soon as he lifted his wrist Itachi woke up, he didn't react harshly he just simply looked at Oorochimaru, then glanced at Kabuto and finally at Fugaku.

Oorochimaru examined Itachi's condition carefully and talked to him for a few second, then he mentioned to Fugaku with his head. Fugaku left them and after a while came back with Minato.

As soon as Minato entered the room Itachi started and went to get up, but Oorochimaru hold him and firmly shook his head. Itachi wanted to protest more but Minato came beside his bed and took Oorochimaru's place.

"How are you Itachi?" He smiled warmly at Itachi.

"I'm well, thanks for your concern Hokage-sama." Itachi was looking at his lap. "I'm really sorry for causing trouble for your son Hokage-sama. I hope he is unhurt?"

"Yes, he is fine. He is just unhappy with himself that he let something happen to you."

"No, not at all. It was entirely my fault, I am the one who should be feeling abysmal, not Naruto-sama. He did what…" Minato cut off Itachi.

"Let just forget all that, who should be sorry for now, and I'm sure Naruto doesn't like you calling him sama." Minato looked at Itachi's still bend head. Then he raised his head and nod to Kakashi to join them in the room.

Kakashi silently entered the room and stood by the door after closing it behind himself. When Itachi heard someone coming to the room he slowly lifted his head and saw Kakashi. Minato eyed Itachi closely, while his facial expression didn't changed that much, he could see that his aura became more relaxed and calm, and it made Hokage happy about his decision all those years back.

"Now Itachi, I don't want to beat around the bush, so I get to the point right away, I'm here today to tell you about the reason why you need to stay in this house." The fourth said and saw how Itachi's whole body tensed. "Around eleven years ago a demon attacked Konoha, he was too strong for Konoha's ninja to defeat, and we had so many casualty and destruction. When it became clear that a human strength isn't enough to beat the demon, and there was no other alternative, I decided to make a host for the demon."

Namikaze went silent, and waited for Itachi to comprehend what he was trying to say, which wasn't that hard for him to understand, but even after he was sure that Itachi know what was the whole thing about, he still didn't continue.

No one in the room said anything, Itachi couldn't even hear their breathing. '_What is wrong? Why isn't Namikaze-sama resuming his talk?'_ Itachi thought. He was more than a little disturbed by all the silent. He finally looked at Minato to see he looked extremely troubled, and Itachi had a feeling that Hokage would rather be anywhere but here at the moment.

When the silence stretched for far too long, Fugaku went to clear his throat, but Kakashi suddenly came into sight and send him a glare which Fugaku had never seen on his carefree face before, and while Fugaku wasn't that scared of the glare, it still startled him and he stopped making any sound.

"Namikaze-sama?" Itachi said, his voice low and almost inaudible.

"Ah, yes, I was saying that I decided to make a host for the demon and seal it. In order to do so I needed a child between 2 and 3 years old, and considering all our options, I choose you for that role." Hokage guiltily looked at Itachi, who by now had all his attention on him. "But the demon was way too powerful to be sealed in just one host so in addition to making you a host, I made a triangle seal to help you keep the demon sealed, and still with all this caution I couldn't put the body of the demon inside you so we lure the demon to the place we choose for the sealing and started everything. The initial plan was that I start sealing the demon and then right after the sealing ceremony, choose the three persons for the triangle seal and put it into action. But in the middle of the rite, something went wrong, or to be more precise someone made it to go wrong," Hokage waited a second to calm his rage.

"We were running out of time and I had no choice but to continue with the sealing, so I put the seal on you and made the triangle seal, without knowing who the three parts of the seal are. But the seal was perfect and when it didn't falter right after being set, I knew that the triangle had already found its seal points, or in this case seal persons.

Then when we thought everything ended another problem raised, we have already taken you away from the place of the seal and were trying to arrange the village's state, when the seal started to broke, I went to the place as soon as I heard this and saw that the demon was coming out of its seal. I ordered to bring you to the site, just as your father brought you into the 50 meter of the seal the demon went silent and went back to its seal, it was then that we found out that due to the hindrance in the middle of the ceremony and misplacement of the jutsu, you can't leave the beast for more than 5hours. We call those hours Safe Hours. And it's the reason you cannot get out of this house."

Hokage stopped here to take his breath. Itachi was looking at him stonily, and for a moment Minato wonder if Itachi knew that he is talking about him not some unknown individual. He then continued, "But the truth is that there is a way for you to leave the compound for more that those safe hours," Minato smiled warmly at Itachi, "And it is to find the three seal and have them replace you when you are getting away from the seal. There is just a small problem. We don't know who are they, the only person who can detect them are you Itachi."

Namikaze looked at Itachi expectedly, but Itachi just looked at him indifferently.

"It is not important anymore. I do not plan on leaving this place again."

"There might come a time when you want to go out." Minato urged Itachi.

"There won't."

Minato sighed. Talking to Itachi was way too harder than he imagined. He had no idea how did Kakashi manage to stay and speak with him in these few past years.

"Well, I didn't want to tell you this initially, but even if you don't want to leave this place we still need to find those three, because in case that something happen to you, they are our only hopes to restrain the demon again."

After hearing this, the only thing which came to Itachi's mind was that when something like that happen Kakashi, Naruto and Hokage might be in danger. Other people didn't even worth his time thinking about them.

"How can I find them?" Itachi asked.

Hokage's smile broadened. "There should be something like a tattoo on their body, which give out a different chakra than their own chakra, you should be able to see that chakra."

"Where that tattoo could be?"

"Anywhere on the seal's body."

"And the seal could be anyone?"

"Yes."

"So I would know just by looking at one of the sealed ones?" Itachi asked. Hokage nodded his head.

"If that's the case I should say one of the seals is in this room right now."

Silence fell on the whole room and its occupants. Not counting Itachi, there were five people in the room, Namikaze Minato, Kakashi, Fugaku, Kabuto and Oorochimaro.

Itachi eyed them. His eyes passed on their face one by one and finally locked on Oorochimaru's assistant Kabuto.

"Kabuto-san has a tattoo." Itachi said. Looking back at Hokage.

Everyone in the room turned to stare at Kabuto. But the only one Kabuto was looking back at was Oorochimaru.

"Kabuto-kun, please come here." Namikaze said.

Kabuto stepped forward and stood next to the 4th.

"Now, Itachi, can you tell me where is the seal?"

Itachi looked skeptical for a moment, then he nodded and said, "It's on Kabuto-san's backside."

The sound of a muffled chuckle came from Kakashi. Minato looked surprised, Oorochimaru grinned widely. And Fugaku looked repelled.

Hokage cleared his throat. "Everyone leave the room."

Kakashi bowed and left immediately, and Fugaku went after him. But Oorochimaru went near the Hokage and said, "There is nothing I haven't seen before, may I remain?"

There was a tint of pink on Kabuto's face.

"It's ok with me. What about you Kabuto-kun?" Minato asked Kabuto.

"It is fine by me Hokage-sama."

"Good. Can you please turn around and pull down your pants?"

Kabuto did as Hokage told him. Itachi hurriedly averted his eyes.

"Now Itachi, I want you to put your hand on the tattoo and send your own chakra into it."

"Why?" Itachi asked, more than a little uncomfortable about putting his hand on somebody's butt and send his chakra into it.

"To activate the seal."

"Isn't it active now? You said when the seal didn't break right away it meant that the three seals are intact."

"Yes. Having Kabuto-kun standing here with the seal means it is working, but, by channeling your chakra into the tattoo, you mark the seal as its core and make Kabuto-kun a replacement for when you aren't around."

Itachi was still hesitant, but eventually nodded and extend his hand toward Kabuto. "I'm sorry Kabuto-san." He silently said and put his hand on his left buttocks. Itachi paused for a second then directed his chakra toward Kabuto.

Kabuto flinched a little, the flawless skin on his rear became dark and a grey wing-like shape appeared on his backside. When the shape became darker Kabuto hissed and grimaced. Itachi who was shaking a little looked at Hokage questionably, and Minato nodded his head to say that he should continue.

Kabuto's knees buckled a little, but he kept himself upright. When the tattoo turned coal black, Minato rushed forward and took Itachi's hand away from Kabuto, who finally gave in and collapsed. But Oorochimaru was there and caught a hold of him when he fell.

Hokage laid a slightly disoriented but still conscious Itachi on the bed. "Is Kabuto all right Oorochimaru-san?" he asked Oorochimaru.

"Yes, he is just passed out. It seems his chakra is fighting off the newly activated demon's chakra. He'll be fine in a few days."

Minato exhaled. "That's a relief."

"How about Itachi-kun? Does he need medical attendance?" Oorochimaru said while scooping Kabuto up in his arms.

"No, he'll be fine. It's just chakra exhaustion, considering the recent obstacle he was in, it's only natural." Hokage said and looked at Itachi's sleepy face.

"Is Kabuto-san all right?" Itachi asked weakly, and Minato knew that he was too tired to comprehend what he and Oorochimaru was talking about a minute ago.

"Yes, he is completely fine. You should rest for now." Hokage pull the cover over Itachi. "You are free to leave this place from now on, Itachi." He whispered.

TBC…

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**A short update, ne?**

**There will be some time before the next update. But please review and stay tuned.**

**Review of the next chapter: **_**Itachi stood behind the door uncertainly. Should he knock? Or should he just turn away? It wasn't like he had to go there, it was just a simple invitation, he could accept or he could simply decline. Just then the door burst opened, and Itachi didn't have time to back off before being squeezed in someone's embrace.**_

**Chii out.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ahem, this is the second time that I'm posting chapter 9. I hope this doesn't confuse anyone. **

**I didn't make that much changes but there was a few things I wanted to redo, so yeah, here you have the revised chapter 9.**

It was a normal passive day like every other day in Itachi's life. He was still locked in his room and still as calm and as indifferent as ever. Still nothing of an importance happened in his everyday routine, of course if you don't count running away from home and facing a blue demon something different. But it was already three weeks after that incident and Itachi didn't remember it anymore, or he kept telling himself.

How could he even start to forget the very first day of freedom in his entire life? But remembering it or not didn't matter because he was still where he was from the start, with everything exactly the same way that it was before.

And to top it all off, Kakashi was still on his damned six week mission. Leaving Itachi to carry out his loneliness on his own.

Too deep in his contemplation on his current life, Itachi, not even a bit, expected to see the person who was currently bothering to knock his door. '_What does he want here? And how come he is alone?_' Itachi thought.

"Yes?" Itachi said, sitting on his bed.

Kabuto opened the door and entered the room as quietly as the times when he came to check on Itachi with Oorochimaru.

"Hello Itachi-kun. Are you better?"

"Yes." Itachi said shortly. '_He came with Oorochimaru-san to check me three days ago and Oochimaru-san said that everything was ok. So he probably isn't here to ask me about my well-being.'_ "Is there anything specific I can do for you Kabuto-san?" he asked.

"No," Kabuto pushed his glasses up on his nose. "But, there is something you can do to help yourself." Kabuto said.

Itachi didn't bother to response he just silently sat there and waited for Kabuto to continue.

"I'm here to take your place for one day so you can go out." Kabuto waited for Itachi's reaction, which didn't come. He then pushed his glasses up on his nose again and went on, "you better get ready, it's already noon. Is it ok for me to stay in your room while you are out?"

Itachi looked out the window and said "Although you are welcome to stay, there is no reason for me to get ready. I'm not going anywhere."

"Unfortunately I can't go back. I'm here on Hokage-sama's direct order." Kabuto went to stand near Itachi's bed. "I'll help you get dressed."

Itachi turned toward Kabuto and send him an icy look. "I do not see the point of getting dressed when I do not plan on going anywhere."

"As I said I'm here to see you out of Fugaku-san's house on Hokage-sama's order." Kabuto repeated and took a step closer to Itachi. "And you don't have any reason to object, don't you want to get out of your room and this compound? The order given to me just shows Hokage-sama's generosity. I'm sure you know it isn't an easy task to make your father agree with something he is disapproved of."

"It was not something requested by me. It was Hokage-sama's decision, and not to mention I told Hokage-sama before, that I do _not_ intend to leave this place again." Itachi turned his gaze toward the window again, "And I do not see how it is suppose to help me when I do not actually want to do it?" He mumbled the last part, and for a second Kabuto thought that he is acting like a child that he is.

"So I guess it means I also need to tell Naruto that you refused his invitation." Kabuto said, and grinned knowingly when he saw the tension of Itachi's shoulders.

"What invitation?" Itachi looked at Kabuto and asked.

"Well it seemed Naruto kept asking about you nonstop, to the extent that it was driving Hokage-sama, who was worried about you even without Naruto's constant pestering, crazy. And as a last resort he said that he can invite you over but it was all up to you to either accept or decline the invitation." Kabuto paused for a second. "So what is your decision? What do I say to Naruto?"

"Where is he inviting me to?" Itachi asked.

"Initially he wanted to take you to a tour all over the Konoha but Hokage-sama told him that you are not still in condition to jump around with him. So it's his house."

"What is that I need to do if were to accept his invitation?" Itachi asked, trying and succeeding in hiding his uncertainty which was due to his lack of experience even in this small everyday social relation.

"You should get dressed and head to his place." Kabuto said, extending his hand to help Itachi up.

"Where is his place?" Itachi just ignored his hand, took his crutches and stood up.

"It's fairly easy to find. I'll give you the directions." Kabuto said. He backed off to give Itachi enough space to move and get ready.

It didn't take too long since Itachi didn't have that much variety in his clothes, so he just wore his usual black attire, and waited for Kabuto's directions.

True to Kabuto's word, Finding Hokage's house was easy. It was big and well decorated even from outside. Not to mention that Itachi was here before although his memory of that time wasn't too clear.

Itachi reached the house and stood behind the door uncertainly. Should he knock? Or should he just turn away?

It wasn't like he had to go there, it was a simple invitation, he could accept or he could simply decline, right? But he was already there and it wasn't like he had any other places to go. Just then the door burst open and cut Itachi's thoughts, who didn't have any time to back off before being squeezed in someone's tight embrace.

"Itachi you're ok. I'm so glad. I was soooooooo worried." Naruto stopped here to hug Itachi again, he then continued. "I kept asking my father but he just kept saying 'he is gonna be okay' or 'he'll be fine'. How's that suppose to be comforting, I mean why didn't he said 'he is okay' or 'he is completely fine' so I was worried and worried and soooo worried. I even came to your place a few times but those bigheaded, no offence Itachi but they really are bigheaded, yeah those bigheaded Uchihas kicked me out. I even asked that bastard Sasuke to help me in but he flat out said NO, and I wanted to punch him in his arrogant nose BUT Iruka-sensei was close so I couldn't. Then I thought that I might be able to use my special prank to…." Naruto stopped and looked at Itachi's smiling face questionably. "What?" he asked.

"Hello Naruto-kun."

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly, "Ah, yeah, hi."

"Naruto how long are you going to keep our guest standing out there?"

Itachi looked up and saw a beautiful woman with long red hair standing in front of the door. And he bowed politely, which was fairly difficult with the crutches under his arms. '_She must be Kushina Uzumaki-sama, Naruto-sama's mother.' _Itachi thought. Remembering what Kabuto had said about Naruto's family.

"Hello, I am Uchiha Itachi, sorry for troubling your son last time."

"Hello my dear. Ah, stop doing that it will hurt your leg, isn't it broken?" she came forth and straightened Itachi. "And don't worry about that, it's Naruto we are talking about, I'm sure he would have put himself in trouble even if you weren't there." She then put her hands on Iatchi's shoulders and gently pushed him inside the house. Itachi felt that Naruto's mother is somehow holding him more tightly than necessary, it was almost looked like that she was hugging him.

But still Itachi didn't mind, he let himself be guided inside, it was an extremely weird feeling. Yes, he was hugged by Kakashi before, twice to be more precise and both times he was semi conscious and almost dying, but this was a completely different hug. It felt warm and kind and caring. Just like a mother's hug, yes, a mother's hug, Itachi wanted to laugh at his thoughts, of course it would felt like mother's hug, she was a mother after all. Now Itachi exactly knew how Sasuke felt on those times when his mother hugged him and kissed him on the head.

"Are you okay Itachi-kun?" Kushina asked Itachi, when he seemed to be out of it.

"Yes, I am well, excuse me for worrying you." Itachi started to bow again, but Kushina held him in place.

"Please stop with formalities Itachi-kun. Just feel like it is your own house." She smiled warmly at Itachi.

'_Yes my own house, I never want to be in a place like my house, ever._' He thought, but he didn't word his thoughts, he just simply nodded.

Kushina saw how Itachi suddenly went cold by her words so she changed the subject. "Naruto, why don't you take Itachi-kun's to your room. I'll bring you something to eat shortly."

"YAY, mom I want ramen." Naruto said and pushed Itachi toward the steps leading to his room.

"Naruto, his leg is injured be more careful and don't push him around." Kushina said.

"Yeah mom." But Naruto didn't stop pushing Itachi until they were in his bedroom. The very same bedroom Itachi woke up in, around three weeks ago. It was still as messy and as bright as Itachi remember it.

"We are here," Naruto said, he then turn and saw what a mess was his room. He went and grabbed some of his cloths from the floor. "Sorry it's a mess." He tried to arrange the bed for Itachi to sit on. "You have been here before remember?"

Itachi went to bed and sat down. While he didn't let it show, his leg still hurt, and because, despite Orochimaro's order, he refrained from going out and do some exercise in the past weeks, it felt stiff and moving it was a bit hard.

"It's ok if you don't, cause you were unconscious last time and then that blue bastard came…" Naruto clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. "I will kick his ass next time. Just you wait you bastard." He shouted to an unseen enemy.

Itachi smiled, seeing Naruto's anger was a new thing, but Itachi couldn't help himself feel touched by his resolve.

"Hey, did you know it was Gai-san who kicked his ass at last? I heard from Lee that when Kakashi-san was about to be defeated and was at that bastard's mercy, Gai-san suddenly jumped in and save the day."

"So he was captured?" Itachi asked. He sounded a bit hopeful, maybe he could ask him about the demons he was talking about.

"Uh… no, he escaped." Naruto said. "But it's better this way, now I can kick his ass myself. I'm going to train harder than before. And then when I'll be put into a group which is in few months I can become even stronger."

"What grouping?"

"What? You don't know? Ah, well, after we finished the academy we will be put in three man cells with one sensei, and we go to different missions. What about you Itachi?"

When Itachi looked at him questionably Naruto added, "Are you going to be put in a team too?"

"No." was Itachi's short reply.

"So how do you train?" the blonde said, but then he thought a little and continued. "Could it be that you don't want to be a ninja? But Sasuke always says that all the Uchiha will become a ninja, because of the police force and stuff."

'_What about the police force_? _Do all the Uchihas become a ninja? And should I tell him about Kakashi-san. He talks a lot. He might let it slip to Sasuke in one of his speech._' Itachi thought. When Naruto saw Itachi's thoughtful face he hurriedly said, "It's ok if you don't tell me. I mean both my parents told me not to ask you many questions, and it's really not my business and…"

"Kakashi-san is training me."Itachi finally said.

Naruto blinked a few times. "Cool, it must be fun training with him isn't it?" His face was all smile.

"Hn," '_If you count looking at a person reading a pervert book AND looking bored all the time, fun, then yes it is fun.' _Itachi added in his mind.

"Yeah he is always teasing Iruka-sensei, and he is always looking bored but he is actually a jonin and you know I heard he is a genius. Did you know he became an Anbu captain when he was about 14 or somethin'? Ah, what am I saying, of course you know since he is your sensei and stuff."

'_No, I do not, of course know,'_ Itachi thought with a pang of… a pang of what? What do you call the feeling of suddenly knowing that you absolutely don't know anything about the person who made your life completely different? indifference? Irresponsibility? Shame? Or maybe jealousy? '_Does that Iruka-sensei know this much about him? Yes there is no way he does not know. I mean he sees him most of the days. They probably talk more freely. There is no limit for the time of their conversations and there is no secrecy between them and their clan and their own life. Wait, is Kakashi a part of a specific clan?'_ Itachi wanted to bang his head on something at this point.

"Hn." Was Itachi's response.

"Ah, know what? You probably haven't seen Iruka-sensei yet. Did you?" Itachi shook his head. "How about we go and see him this evening? He is almost always in the academy." Itachi just looked at Naruto.

"Of course we only go if your leg is fine." The blonde added hurriedly.

"And if he actually _wants _to go." Kushina said while entering the room with a tray of two bowl of ramen. "You forgot to close the door again Naruto, I can hear your voice all over the place." Itachi went to get up but Kushina came to him with a speed that was a bit too fast for a person holding two bowls on a trey and gave him his bowl. "Ramen is the only thing this boy and his father always want to eat. Do you want me to bring you something else Itachi-kun?"

Itachi who was still trying to get up while holding the bowl and reaching for his crutch all at the same time said, "No, this is completely fine, sorry for the trouble."

When Naruto's mother saw his struggle, she hovered over his slim form and firmly said. "Stop trying to get up and being polite and don't apologize anymore. If we didn't want you here and thought of you as trouble, be sure that you weren't here right now." Her voice was a little threatening, and Itachi found himself sitting down and nodding. But then he remembered his manners and hurriedly added, "Yes, forgive…" He didn't finish his sentence when he saw the look in Kushina's eyes.

"Now my child as you are our dear guest today and Naruto had already chosen the lunch, what do you want to have for dinner?" She smiled warmly at Itachi.

Itachi's mouth hung open. '_My…my child? Is she talking about me? Choosing what I want to eat? For dinner? Am I going to be here for the dinner too? What should I do? It is surely impolite to say what I want to eat. And what if they do not have the ingredient? And if it is difficult to make? Or they might not even like the food I choose, or maybe…'_ Itachi's train of thoughts were cut off by Naruto's voice.

"Come on Itachi. Don't be shy just tell her if you want to eat ramen for dinner too." Kushina suddenly was at Naruto's side and whack him on the head.

"Naruto, not everyone are like you ramen-freak. Let him think." Kushina smiled up at Itachi. "Itachi-kun, just take your time and think about it."

"Am I going to stay for dinner?" Itachi asked, his uncertainty was shown in his words.

"Of course, unless if you don't want to stay. If that's the case I'll tell Minato myself that you couldn't stay."

"Hokage-sama?"

"Yes, he wanted to see you when he comes home tonight. But it's ok, you don't need to force yourself." Kushina was all smiles and Itachi knew that she really meant what she was saying and that they won't really be upset if he were to go.

"No, it would be my pleasure to eat dinner with Hokage-sama." Itachi said. "And while I am sure everything you make will be delicious, I like to have ramen again."

"YAY, I knew your taste is great Ita…" Kushina hushed Naruto.

"Are you sure Itachi? You don't have to listen to Naruto."

"No, I really like your ramen."

"But you haven't eaten any yet."

"But I can tell from the wonderful smell." Itachi hold the bowl closer.

Kushina didn't let it shown on her face, but it pained her greatly to see how touched Itachi looked just by a simple ramen and the fact that he could choose to either stay or leave for dinner or even decide on his own food.

"Then ramen it is." She went to the door. "I'll call you when the dinner is ready."

When she went and closed the door behind herself, Naruto started talking again.

"So what do you say?" Itachi looked at him questionably.

"Do you want to go and see Iruka-sensei?"

"I prefer to go some other time."

"It's fine, we can go anytime." Naruto said and went on eating his ramen.

"Your mother is a wonderful woman." Itachi almost whispered. '_Yes she is great. In fact both of them are great, Minato Namikaze-sama and Kushina Uzumaki-sama._' He thought. '_Wait a minute! Kushina Uzumaki-sama and Namikaze-sama? Why Naruto is called by his mother's family name? Is it alright to ask him about his family? Wouldn't it seem impolite or something?'_

Just at this moment Naruto broke Itachi's thoughts and started talking, and Itachi wondered for a second if there comes a time when Naruto stop talking? But surprisingly it wasn't annoying to Itachi, on the contrary it was most welcome by him, who didn't have anyone as a friend to talk to him about nonsense and simple, normal things which happened in everyone's everyday life.

The next hours passed in a blink of an eye and when Kushina called them for dinner Itachi thought that it's a bit early for dinner, but then he looked out the window and saw that it is already night.

When Itachi and Naruto entered, they saw that Minato was already seated on a chair near the table, while Kushian was preparing the dishes. Itachi suddenly felt embarrassed. Both by the feel of not being experienced enough to dine with other people, and the fact that the person he was going to dine with were the Hokage and his family.

Upon hearing the boys entrance, Hokage stood up and came toward them. He extended his hand for a handshake with Itachi. Itachi looked at the hand torn between shaking his hand and bowing. Minato upon seeing his hesitance, extended his hand and took Itachi's, then he shook his hand firmly.

"Hi, Itachi it's been a while." Hokage said, his smile broad and his resemblance to Naruto unnerving.

"Hello Hokage-sama." Itachi said, keeping his head bowed. And a bit uneasy about the fact that Minato was still holding his hand. Then he felt the tightness in Hokage's hand and looked up.

"I don't like to be called Hokage when I'm in my home with my family." Hokage cut it without a room for protest or discussion, with a glint in his sky blue eyes.

"I understand Namikaze-sama." He saw Minato's frown and resist the urge to bit his lip nervously. But the frown was there for only a mere second and Itachi wondered if it was his imagination.

Hokage finally released Itachi's hand, and instead put his hand behind his back and pushed him toward the table.

"Yahoo, ramen." Naruto shouted from behind Itachi. "Hey dad."

"Hey my boy, how was your day, did you mange to give Itachi a headache with your constant rant?" He winked at Itachi.

"No, of course I didn't." Naruto said, while pulling a chair out to sit, a playful pout on his face. "We had a great time, ne Itachi?"

"Hmm." Itachi said, but then he remembered that Hokage and his wife were also present and said, "Yes."

"Yeah, sure. Like Itachi would tell no." Hokage ruffled Naruto's hair playfully.

"No really, it was fun." Itachi said and sat down on his chair.

"Yeah, and it's gonna be even more fun next time." Naruto said and filled his bowl. "We're gonna go and meet Iruka-sensei at the academy. And I'll introduce Itachi to the bastard and others, and then we can go to the ramen stand and eat ramen, and after that…"

Minato looked at Itachi's solemn face, when Naruto mentioned the next time. "I think that's for Itachi to decide, Naruto." He cut him off.

"But I'm sure he is ok with it too, aren't you Itachi?" Naruto said loudly and punched Itachi's shoulder in a very friendly manner. But then the Hokage saw how Itachi's face started to show the signs of discomfort and smack Naruto on the head.

"What do you think you're doing boy. Itachi is not only injured but he is also older than you. Show him some respect."

"ow ow, why did you do that?" Naruto said, rubbing his head. "HUH? He is older? No he isn't." he turned to Itachi. "Are you?"

Itachi silently nodded.

"But you didn't say anything when I said we are the same age and such back then." Naruto didn't practically sound offended. He just sounded curious, which was weird to Itachi.

"It was not important." He then looked at Minato. "It is ok Namikaze-sama. I do not see anything wrong with Naruto-kun's behavior toward myself." He took the bowl from Kushina politely and while addressing Naruto he continued, "But I am not sure about next time."

"Ah? That's too bad. But we can do lots of things and there are a lot of people I want you to meet …"

"Naruto." Kushina chided. "It's impolite to talk while eating."

The rest of the meal passed in silence. After they all finished. Namikaze started talking with Itachi.

"Itachi, if it's fine with you, can you tell me about your plans for the next time you go out?"

"I am very grateful for your concern this time." Itachi said, his eyes down cast.

'_This is not a good start, he is going to decline.' _Minato thought.

"But I would appreciate it if you could let me choose the time, next time." Itachi said.

'_That's it? He is fine by going out?'_ Hokage was surprised. "Sure. Of course it is something you should decide on."

Then the silence fell on the room. And considering that there were two of the loudest shinobis in the whole Konoha were also present made it more eerie.

'_Why it is this hard to talk with the boy?'_ Hokage wondered briefly. '_And why the hell are you silent Naruto? We tried a thousand times to get you to shut up and you never listened.'_ He let out a sigh.

Itachi who was somehow lost in his thoughts came back to his sense by Minato's sigh and decided that it was time for him to leave. So he stood up and took his crutches.

"If you will excuse me, I think it is time for me to go back."

"You're going already? But there is still some time." Naruto said.

Hokage also stood up to help Itachi with his crutches.

"Yes, but I think it might take me some time to get to the Uchiha's compound." Itachi said, and bowed his head as thanks to Hokage. It didn't go unnoticed by Minato how Itachi refused to use the word 'home'.

"I will accompany you." Minato said.

"No." Itachi said shocked. "I mean it would be a bother and…"

"Nah," Hokage said and waved his hand in the air to indicate that it was nothing. "It's no problem. And you're also injured. What if something happens on your way back?"

"Then I'll go too." Naruto said and without waiting for any sign of confirmation from either side. Put on his orange jacket.

Minato just sighed.

"It was nice of you to come here Itachi. If you can, I'll be glad to have you here again." Kushina said when they were at the entrance.

"I apologize for all the trouble." Itachi bowed his head.

"What did I tell you about apologizing?" Naruto's mother said with the same tone she used back then. Itachi raised his head to apologize again when he found himself in Kushina's warm embrace. It was a single hug, she didn't want to comfort him, she didn't want to save him and she absolutely didn't mean any weird thoughts, she was just simply holding Itachi. But it meant a world to Itachi.

When she finally let go, Itachi bowed again and fell in step with Hokage and his son to go back to the prison he didn't want to leave this morning, and it was very amusing to him that now he absolutely didn't want to go back there.

**Review of the next chapii: **_**"Itachi you know you need to explain something. Now you can do it here right in front of this idiot or we can go somewhere else. It's either fine with me." Sasuke looked at Itachi with the look that said he wasn't kidding and he would tell everything in front of Naruto if don't comply. "Fine…" "Wait! Are you threatening Itachi?" Naruto came in front of Itachi. Itachi suddenly had a feeling that the same thing happened to him a few years back was about to happen again and he really didn't want a repetition of what happened back then.**_

**Chii out.**


	10. Chapter 10

"_If you fail again, this would be the end for you. Do you know what I mean Kisame?" Kisame nodded._

"_What method do you want me to use?" He asked. _

"_Do whatever you like, just bring me the damn Demon." _

Kisame silently relived his conversation with the Leader. It seemed he wasn't about to get another chance with Itachi. But the weirdest thing was that, it wasn't the thing that was currently on his mind. The only thing occupied his mind right now was the thought of the black haired, red eyes Uchiha boy.

No matter what he did or where he was, after the incident with Itachi, he couldn't get him out of his mind. The boy's determination to go with him, his cold feature even when he was telling of his deep hatred toward the village and his father, his deep trust toward the person who came for him, his unwavering resolve to let go of him when he did make his decision to go with the white hair copy nin. Everything about him interested Kisame in the ways no one ever did.

'_How would he turn out to be when he grows up, I wonder?'_ He thought as he got to his usual hiding place from where he could see Itachi's room.

Itachi knew he would call on Kabuto sooner or later. It was already one month after his visit to Naruto's house. And while he didn't want to admit it, the only thing which kept him from asking Kabuto to take his place up till now was that he wanted to test and see how much Hokage will respect his wish for deciding on the time of leaving the house.

And this one month proved him that the Hokage actually took note of his request.

The other thing which stopped him from leaving was Kakashi who still hadn't come back from his six weeks mission. According to Itachi he should have been back last week, but it was already the seventh week and there was still no sign of the white haired jonin.

Itachi paced his room. Then a thought accrued to him, he could go out and ask Namikaze-sama about Kakashi, he was the Hokage, it was a given that he knew of Kkashi's whereabouts.

Now the only thing he needed to do was to ask for Kabuto. Which was fairly easy. He just needed to activate the demon's chakra mark on kabuto, and Kabuto would come to him immediately. That was what he told Itachi last time when he asked about how he could reach him. But he needed to be careful, because activating the chakra mark too much was actually painful and uncomfortable for Kabuto.

When he was finished, he got ready and waited for Kabuto's arrival. It took Kabuto thirty minutes to reach the Uchiha compound. When he was about to knock on Itachi's door, he opened the door and nodded to Kabuto to enter.

"Hello Kabuto-san. Thank you for coming." Itachi said.

"Hi, Itachi-kun. It was nothing. How may I help you? Did you finally decide to go out?" Kabuto said. Itachi could detect a smirk under his expressionless mask.

"Yes. Of course if you have the time to take my place."

"Sure, I must say you choose the best day to ask my replacement. I'm completely free these days." Kabuto said. "Can I stay in your room?"

"Yes. I will be back sooner this time." Itachi said and headed for the door.

"By all means take your time." Kabuto said.

Itachi just nodded and left the room. He silently left the house as to not stir any attention and consequently face any member of his family. When he was safely out of the house he jumped on the nearest roof and remained on the rooftops until he was out of the whole compound.

Now he needed to think of the place he wanted to go. He could go to Naruto's house but the Hokage probably wasn't home at this time of the day, and if he knew Naruto enough by now he wasn't there either. So he could go to Hokage tower which he heard about, on few occasion from Kakashi and not to mention that it was very easy to find between all the houses in Konoha.

He was on his way when he felt a presence following him. It was very faint and distinct, and Itachi thought that it might be his imagination, so he change his directions a few times but it seemed the presence was still there and it was definitely after him.

'_Is it one of the Uchihas? I cannot feel his chakra.'_ Itachi thought, then seeing that he has no other alternative, Itachi jumped on the rooftops and started running as fast as he could, after running for twenty minutes nonstop. Itachi stood on one of the roofs and searched for the follower's chakra. It was nowhere to be found. Itachi let out a sigh of relief and looked around himself to see where he was.

When he looked down he saw a building with a lot of kid inside it. '_Could it be the academy Naruto-sama was talking about?_' he thought, and silently jumped down, and then entered the place.

It was full of children of different age, boy and girl. They all seem to have fun, laughing and chasing after each other or sometime throwing a toy kunai at each other. But none of them seemed older than 14 or maybe 15 so Itachi could easily blend with them.

He was looking at a boy who was trying to climb a wall by gathering the chakra at his feet when somebody bumped into him. Itachi turned sharply and came face to face with the only person he didn't want to see as much as could.

"You?" Sasuke said. "What are you doing here? Does father…"

"Oi, bastard where do you think you're running off to?" Naruto shouted and came running toward the black haired Uchiha.

He came to a sudden stop when he saw Itachi standing face to face with Sasuke, looking as icy and cold as ever and Sasuke who looked both angry and surprised at the same time, their resemblance undeniable.

"Hey, Itachi. What are you doing here?" He came forth and patted Itachi on the back.

"Hey Bastard, this is the Uchiha I was talking about." Naruto said, grinning madly.

"You didn't say his name was _Itachi_." Sasuke almost spat Itachi's name.

"Ah, I didn't? It must've slipped my mind." Naruto said, then put his hand behind his head and laughed sheepishly. Then someone shout Sasuke's name and Itachi saw a cute pink haired girl threw herself at him.

"Dad told me not to tell your first name to people if I were to tell them about you." Naruto whispered into Itachi's ear. Itachi looked at Naruto surprised, '_So he can keep his mouth shut if he wants.'_ He thought.

Sasuke finally managed to get Sakura off him then he sharply turn toward Itachi. "We need to talk." He grabbed his hand and was about to pull him somewhere so no one hear their talk when Naruto suddenly caught Itachi's other arm.

"I don't think he wants to have a talk with you. He is here to see me." He looked at Itachi. "Aren't you Itachi?"

Itachi blink at Naruto. How could this seemingly idiot blond understand his discomfort at being taken away by Sasuke, not that he couldn't handle his younger brother.

"Hn." He said and nodded his head slowly. His bangs danced in front of his face slightly, and suddenly Itachi found himself face to face with the pink haired girl.

"Excuse me, but could you be Sasuke-kun's relative? You look a lot like him?" there was a bright blush on her face.

Itachi looked at Sasuke, and Sasuke suddenly was taken aback by the look in Itachi's face. '_What? Why does he look like he wants my permission to answer?'_ He thought.

"Yes, he is one of our distant relatives." Sasuke said distastefully.

"OH, really? He is so…" Sakura stopped and her face turned a crimson color.

Just then Naruto pulled Itachi's hand. "Let's go Itachi."

Itachi didn't ask where. He just followed Naruto. For some unknown reason he had a feeling that he could trust and rely on Naruto more than he initially thought. And this thought had a surprisingly calming feeling to it, the feeling that you can count on someone when you really needed him. It was the feeling that Itachi had only when he was with Kakashi.

Naruto led Itachi to an unoccupied place near a tree with a swing tied to it.

"You ok Itachi?" He was still holding his hand.

Itachi just nodded. He then raised his head and smiled reassuringly at Naruto. When Naruto saw Itachi's smile his own smile broaden all over his face, and he let go of Itachi's hand.

But then Sasuke walked in and broke their bright smiles. "Itachi you know you need to explain something. Now you can do it here right in front of this idiot or we can go somewhere else. It's either fine with me." Sasuke looked at Itachi with the look that said he wasn't kidding and he would tell everything in front of Naruto if don't comply.

"Fine…"

"Wait! Are you threatening Itachi?" Naruto came in front of Itachi. Itachi suddenly had a feeling that the same thing happened to him a few years back was about to happen again and he really didn't want a repetition of what happened back then.

"It's ok Naruto. I also want to speak with Sasuke." He put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and smiled at him.

Sasuke clenched his fist tightly. He didn't know why but he suddenly felt extremely jealous by Itachi's warm smile at Naruto, and the thing which shocked him more was that he didn't know if he was actually jealous of Itachi or of Naruto.

Naruto hesitantly nodded his head and left them alone while sending Sasuke a warning glare.

"So what are you doing here out of the house?" Sasuke folded his arms on his chest and said.

"That is not of your concern, _ototo._" Was Itachi's cold reply.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Does father know you are out?"

"Probably."

"Probably? You are going to come back home with me so we can confirm it with father." Sasuke said.

"What makes you think you can order me around?" Itachi said and titled his head a little.

"The fact that I can be out and you can't." Sasuke smirked.

"Still that fact does not have the power to order me around." Itachi was becoming irritated. Why was it also seemed like a repetition of that time?

Sasuke dropped his folded arms and clenched them more tightly than before, but before he could say anything Itachi added, "Look Sasuke, father knows about my leaving the house because Hokage-sama already talked to him on this matter. So let's just leave each other alone and just be some Uchiha's distant relatives on this few occasions when I come out of that house."

Sasuke felt Itachi's tenacity to solve the matter without further argument or dispute and it made him even angrier that Itachi was still keeping his cool despite all their history. '_Why is he still calm after all this? Why isn't he trying to fight me or something?' _Sasuke wanted to retort, wanted to shout at Itachi he wanted to make a scene and let his anger and frustration from all the things happening in his family out on Itachi.

But then the bell rang indicating that their class was going to start. So he just closed his mouth and stalk off toward the building. When Sasuke left Itachi's side Naruto ran to him.

"Is everything ok?"

"You sound like a concern mother by keep repeating the same question about my well being." Itachi said, and was amused when he was greeted by Naruto's faint blush.

"Nah, it's just my parent keep telling me to be careful with you and don't let anything happen to you when you are with me." He looked sideway as if to avoid Itachi's eye.

Itachi took Naruto's hand out of the blue and Naruto looked at him startled.

"It is absolutely fine. Thanks for caring so much." Naruto was speechless for a second but then a head came out the window and shouted to him, "Naruto come to class and bring Shikamaru with you while you're at it."

"Ah, I almost forgot, hey Ita do you like to come to our class, if you like I'll introduce you to the other students and Iruka-sensei."

Itachi just 'hn'ed and went after Naruto.

"Now where is Shikimaru? He usually sleeps around here somewhere." Naruto looked around a big bush. "Ah, here he is, hey Shikimaru you lazy ass get up the class is starting."

Shikimaru yawned loudly and stretched his arms above his head. Itachi came closer to see this supposedly friend of Naruto, and then he felt the familiar chakra signature and he knew that now he have an even better excuse to visit Hokage-sama.

Itachi walked into the Hokage's tower, still a bit sad about parting from Naruto and his school. Itachi didn't go into his class and excused himself after Naruto introduce him to Shikamaru but he was sure he could have a good time with Naruto around.

Itachi looked around the place which wasn't that much decorated despite it being the Hokage's work place and tried to find Minato by his chakra, which wasn't that hard since Minato's flaring chakra that was very much like Naruto's was easily detectable. He reached a big wooden door and hesitated, he couldn't just barge into Hokage's office now, could he?

Just as Itachi was contemplating his ways to get inside without interrupting anything a shinobi with a senbon in his mouth came behind him.

"Do you need anything boy?" he looked Itachi up and down.

Itachi wanted to ignore the young man, but he didn't know the place and there was a possibility that this guy was someone important. "I need to speak with Hokage-sama." he said politely.

"And who might you be? What do you _need _to talk to Hokage-sama about?" Shinobi asked with a hint of amusement.

"May I require your name first?" Itachi said with his coldest tone.

"Sure," the man chuckled. "It's shiranui Genma."

"Is there a need for me to speak with you if I want to see the Hokage-sama, Shiranui-san?" Itachi asked. Genma wanted to accuse the boy for being impolite but there was nothing in Itachi's voice to show his disrespect, he was just merely asking a question and how does he manage it without being accusing was beyond Genma.

"Not necessarily, but I could give him a messege since I'm about to see him." Genma said cooly. It was Itachi's first time to encounter a person who had this kind of coolness and Itachi could clearly say that it was in his blood not some act.

"I'll be gratefull Shiranui-san." Itachi bowed his head slightly.

"And I tell Hokage-sama who wants to meet him?"

"Uchiha Itachi."

The senbon stopped moving in Genma's mouth for a split second and then it continued its movement, but Itachi clearly saw the falter in the movement and knew that the man knows him to some extent.

"Wait here, be back soon." Genma gave Itachi a friendly smile and opened the doors to Hokage's working place.

Itachi didn't move from his place but then he didn't need to because as soon as Genma went in, the doors burst open again and Hokage walked out with his arms wide open.

'_He is going to hug me._' Itachi thought, and his thoughts were indeed right. But Minato stopped himself before he reached the boy and instead put his hands on Itachi's shoulders.

'_What is he so happy about?_' Itachi thought suspiciously, while he really didn't want to suspect Namikaze for anything.

"Itachi you are finally out." Minato said with extreme joy. '_Ah, so that's it.'_ Itachi almost sighed in relief when he found out the reason behind Hokage's enthusiasm.

"Thanks to you Hokage-sama." Itachi said and bowed.

"Nah, don't think about it, now Genma-san said you wanted to talk to me." When Itachi gave the Namikaze his confirmation Minato put his arm around him and ushered him inside.

When they entered Itachi didn't see the senbon gnawing ninja anywhere.

Hokage seated and gesture to Itachi to start.

"I found out who the other two seals are."

xXx

TBC…

**Another chapter finished and I thought it would be a good idea to have an early update after the late update on the last chapter.**

**Review of the nest chapii: **_**"A mission to the village of mist? With all due respect I do not have the necessary experience to take a mission." **_

"_**That's exactly why I'm sending a jonin and an experienced ninja with you." **_

**Chii out.**


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